Dear Oak Ridges Moraine supporters & defenders of Mary Lake.
It has been a few months since we’ve shared an update on the St. Rita Long-Term Care (LTC) facility development in King City, but the work behind the scenes has never slowed.
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Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT) and Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition have been searching for a strong legal position through which to challenge the construction of St. Rita at Mary Lake, a 160-bed LTC facility on the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) and Greenbelt.
St. Rita at Mary Lake has been sited outside the King City settlement area boundary, nestled between the shores of Mary Lake and provincially significant wetlands (PSW) that drain east into Seneca Lake. Both Mary Lake and Seneca Lake are ecologically sensitive kettle lakes with a diverse array of fish species. Recognized as Natural Core Areas essential to the protection of the ORM as a whole, these lakes are highly vulnerable to harm caused by common urban contaminants.
We are pleased to report that on January 15, 2024, CCKT and STORM acted by filing a request for an investigation under the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights, urging a review of the approvals granted by King Township. It is our contention that the approved plans violate crucial environmental regulations, including Section 14 of the Environmental Protection Act, the Provincial Policy Statement, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, and the Federal Fisheries Act.
The hydrogeological assessment submitted with our investigation request indicates the need for extensive dewatering during and after construction that will be discharged into Mary Lake, posing a significant risk to the ecological integrity of the area. Groundwater tests have already revealed the presence of Phenols (oils) at levels far exceeding the freshwater limit, posing a threat to both the Provincially Designated Wetlands (PSWs) and the diverse fish species inhabiting Mary Lake.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the stormwater treatment system's incapacity to remove road salt and other urban contaminants from the parking lot and winter salt run-off. This also poses a direct threat to the aquatic life in Mary Lake and Seneca Lake PSWs.
We, as concerned citizens, are appealing to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to uphold the regulations and protections put in place to safeguard sensitive ecosystems on the ORM.
If you have already donated to our legal defence fund, you have our deepest thanks. If you have not donated and you are in a position to do so comfortably, we ask that you please consider making a contribution through Small Change Fund https://smallchangefund.ca/project/save-mary-lake-on-the-oak-ridges-moraine-in-king-township/. To test the above claims in a court of law, we have entered into a new contract with legal and environmental experts and are accruing additional costs.
Your support is invaluable to help ensure protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine and stop further carve-outs of Ontario's Greenbelt.
Sincerely,
Save the Oak Ridges Moraine;
Concerned Citizens of King Township;
Kingscross Ratepayers Association.