January 7, 2013
Kyra Trainor, President
Mimico Residents Association
Dear Ms. Trainor:
Thank you for copying me on your recent letter to the Application Assessment Officer, Ministry of the
Environment Operations Division, expressing the Mimico Residents Association’s concerns with regard to
the ML Ready Mix Concrete batching plant located at 29 Judson Street in Mimico.
My understanding is that the Ministry of Environment has been dealing with various operations at this
location for a few years.
As recently as September 2012 the ministry conducted a site inspection as a result of several complaints. During the inspection of the operation it was discovered that the company did not have the required approval for air and noise emissions from the operation, including fugitive dust emissions from the yard. The company was required to submit an application to the ministry to address noise and dust from the site operations. The company was also required to submit an updated Dust Control Plan. The company has submitted the required documents to the ministry.
Ministry of the Environment approvals for air emissions are not a license to operate. The company must first comply with the city’s zoning requirements for the location. I understand that the company is operating at a location zoned for the type of business they are conducting. Any issue with this matter should be discussed with the city. The ministry’s approval is to ensure that air and noise emissions generated from the facility meets ministry requirements.
In addition, any issue with the operation of trucks on city streets and any impacts to the street such as
tracking of mud or dirt onto the street is again a city matter.
The ministry’s role is to ensure that if the city permits an operation to occur at a given location that the operation complies with all requirements under the ministry’s jurisdiction – zoning is not within the ministry’s jurisdiction.
The ministry continues to monitor the site operations, approximately every 2 weeks, and speaks with the
company if there is dust observed at the site.
Yours truly,
Laurel Broten, MPP
Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Additional follow up from MPP Broten indicates:
– The Ministry of the Environment instructed ML Ready Mix to submit an application to the ministry to address noise and dust from the site operations, and to submit an updated Dust Control Plan. They received an application on November 1, 2012. This application is now under review by the ministry.
– The company’s location is zoned by the City of Toronto as Class 2 Industrial, which allows for a concrete batching plant.