The Ontario government is using a rarely-used provincial power to prevent St. Marys Cement from developing a quarry in Flamborough.

At a news conference at his Waterdown constituency office April 21, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin announced the Liberal government has declared the Ontario Municipal Board hearing reviewing an application by St. Marys to overturn a zoning freeze a provincial “interest.”

Municipal Affairs Minister Rick Bartolucci sent the letter of provincial interest to St. Mary’s and the OMB April 20. The parties are scheduled to meet for an OMB pre-hearing on April 29.

St. Marys has challenged a zoning freeze the provincial government imposed on the quarry site at the 11th Concession Road East near Milburough Line in April 2010. By identifying the OMB decision on the zoning freeze as a provincial interest, the Liberal government, said McMeekin, has signaled to the OMB and St. Mary’s it can overrule any  OMB decision that’s made.

“The cabinet reserves the right to make the final decision,” said McMeekin. “(The province) has gone from a very interested party to an active advocate. So we are making a pretty strong statement.”

The minister and McMeekin said the reason for the letter of provincial interest was due to the environmental impacts a quarry would have on the surrounding lands and water table.

McMeekin acknowledged the letter of provincial interest only holds any relevance if the Liberals remain in power. He didn’t want to speculate what would happen if the Progressive Conservatives form the next provincial government after the Oct. 6 election.

The OMB has held one pre-hearing in early April, and another pre-hearing session is scheduled for April 29 at the McMaster University Centre on Main Street West. Tentative dates for the OMB hearing have been scheduled beginning late September, and will continue for three weeks.

“I really hope St. Mary’s gets the message,” said Graham Flint, chair of Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment (FORCE). “They haven’t listened to the community; they haven’t listened to the science or the facts. They continue to fight on. This is a joyous day for this community.”

In a news release from St. Marys last month, officials stated the company is continuing to move forward with its application. Earlier this year it had filed an application to take water for testing.

Flamborough councillor Judi Partridge, who has taken up the quarry fight from former councillor Margaret McCarthy, said the city and community must continue to fight the company to prevent a quarry from being built. Hamilton council earlier this year agreed to seek party status at the OMB hearing.

“St. Marys has not given up,” she said. “For me it is very personal. It’s my backyard. I live up there. (The community) is at risk.”

via HamiltonMountainNews.com: News: Story: Province throws its weight into quarry fight.