CCKT to seek moraine rules clarification
By Bill Rea

What exactly does the Oak Ridges Moraine legislation say about the disruption of groundwater?

Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT) plan to go to court to get a judgement on what's permitted when it comes to infrastructure, like sewers.

CCKT Vice-Chair Debbie Schaefer said this action is not directly aimed at the sewers currently being installed in King City, but more toward the moraine in general.

Citizen groups opposed to connecting the village to the York-Durham Sewage System (YDSS) halted a court action last month. It had been aimed at determining whether the sewer project complied with all the clauses of the legislation protecting the moraine.

Schaefer said a request is going to be filed to ask the court for an interpretation of what the moraine legislation says.

She added the group had been shocked to hear York Region took the view that the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act and Plan only addressed groundwater at the implementation stage, such as when the pipe was being installed. CCKT is of a different view. "It is to be an on-going phenomenon," she said.

"What we want and what we're asking for is the court to tell us what they think the legislation means," she said.

Schaefer added CCKT is more interested in what happens in the future at this point, stating if it's too late to take the pipe out of King City, then that's it.

"This legislation is supposed to be covering what you can and cannot do," she remarked. "There is disagreement on this legislation."

Schaefer said the hope and expectation is the necessary papers will be filed with the court in the next week or so. She couldn't offer any details on a timeline beyond that.

Mayor Margaret Black said she wasn't too concerned about the move, especially where it concerns the sewers in King City.

"I'm relying on the certification of the Ministry of the Environment," she

declared. "The Ministry of the Environment has considered this in great detail a great many times."

"The certificate they issued says that the project complies with the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act," Black declared, adding it was Ministry staff who wrote the legislation.

Black was a little more concerned about the possible costs to the Township of another court action. She was upset that the action that was pulled last month still cost King an estimated $50,000, and she expected the Region would have been out a similar amount.

"I really hope that we don't have to spend any more taxpayers' dollars on this," she remarked, estimating the numerous delays, challenges and actions have added $5-to$6,000 to the cost of the average King City household for the sewers.

"I think it's a good move," commented Councillor Jane Underhill.

She said she hoped it will result in better protection for the whole moraine.

"I think groundwater should be protected, on and off the moraine," she added. Regional spokesperson

Patrick Casey wasn't too concerned with the approvals for the sewers, stating the Region was confident that all aspects of the sewer project complied with the moraine legislation and plan.

He also observed that citizens' groups have launched numerous actions against the sewer installation. "To date, none of them have been

successful," he observed, adding they have added to the cost of the project."

"The Region has demonstrated from the getgo that it's in compliance with extremely, extremely strict regulations," he added, pointing out they are looking forward to getting the project completed and solving problems of leaking septics that he said have plagued King City for years.