Rock-mining plans threat to Highlands

Highlands, it is said, serves as “the lungs of Victoria.” We provide the largest park area in the capital region, and our numerous hiking and biking trails draw many users. The Gowlland-Todd ridge offers the most spectacular hike on southern Vancouver Island. We have defended our rural lifestyle and environment ever since separating from Langford.

Our dreams are rudely threatened by an application to mine 300,000 tonnes of rock over a period of 25 years. The property involved, still zoned greenbelt, is about 26 hectares on the south end of Highlands. The operation will leave a steep-walled crater about 20 metres deep.

Remediation of any sort is out of the question; it will become a barren moonscape.

Upstream, and adjacent as far as groundwater is concerned, is the toxic-waste site euphemistically called Millstream Meadows. The already-heavy truck traffic on Millstream Road would become unbearably worse.

Just “upstream” is one of the loveliest lakes in the Highlands, and Millstream Creek is nearby. Some of the water seeping into the devastated area will inevitably come from the aquifers connecting the lake and creek. There might be serious lowering of both if the mining application is approved.

Highlands council rejected the application in 2016, but we are shocked to learn the provincial government has the legal ability to overrule the objections of council and residents. We appeal to all to join us in writing to the premier and minister of energy, mines and petroleum resources to strongly object to this environmentally destructive proposal. Job Kuijt Highlands