December 15, 2015
Jason Cole
Manager, Public Works Department
789 Broadway Street, Box 3000
Wyoming, ON N0N 1T0
Dear Mr. Cole
Lambton Federation of Agriculture represents over 1800members in Lambton County and is committed to supporting farm businesses to help form the backbone of a robust food system that drives the local economy forward. The vast majority of production on these farms is moved by truck, whether delivered for processing within the County or outside the County.We would like to submit the following points for consideration with respect to the proposal restricting truck traffic on Petrolia Line between Oil Heritage Road and Mandaumin Road. We are also aware of current restrictions on other County roads.
Currently Petrolia Line is rated as a truck route, and henceis capable of handling trucks traffic. We are unsure of the numbers of trucksusing this route, but have heard a wide range of numbers and not all of these trucks would be hauling agricultural products. If the proposed restrictions are established those trucks would need to find other routes to their destination. Possibly on township roads, in this case Enniskillen, which are not built for truck traffic?Protecting township roads and individual townships from shouldering the extra costs the proposed ban will create should be considered.
Restriction of Agriculture and non-agriculture businesses making local deliveries and pickups would be allowed, but how will local be defined? How would this be policed? Would a delivery on the North side, then the South side be required to follow the alternate truck route as opposed to a direct route? Would a truck from east of Petrolia picking up or delivering a load west of Petrolia be allowed to travel through the town to pick up or drop off that load? For our members farming east of town this proposed by law would restrict movement through the town and therefore the need to find a different route if shipping west of Petrolia, adding unnecessary cost to their operations.
Is this precedent setting for other small towns and townships? Will this be the prequel to setting up such a difficult infrastructure that the cost of doing business in Lambton County prohibitive to all commodities, not just agriculture. Will it make Lambton County look like a non progressive municipality for economic development?
These are some of the concerns for LFA members in the Petrolia area if this truck restriction is put in place. We do realize that some of the concern is safety especially for the children within this community, but is something we also live with every day on our farms and our roads.
Based on these concerns, the Lambton Federation does not feel they can support the proposed ban as is currently stands.
Sincerely,
~Dave Ferguson~
President, Lambton Federation of Agriculture