By Staff
July 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
TEC has done everything a community group can do to get support for their project. So far no one has come to their aid.
The Tyendaga Environmental Coalition finally has a friend.
Vince Fiorito is prepared to do battle for the TEC people and their fight to have the value of their property maintained and not significantly downgraded when the bulldozers start mining for shale in the eastern most quarry of the site off King Road in Aldershot.
Meridian Brick has had a license since the early 70’s and have been taking shale out and manufacturing brick.
Forterra Brick was the predecessor of re-named Meridian Brick. The graphic, courtesy of the Toronto Star shows where the residents live and where Meridian wants to mine for shale.
The move into the eastern quarry has brought a problem that was always lurking in the background to the front page. TEC hasn’t been able to get any traction with either the Mayor, the ward Councillor or the MPP.
They all said that Meridian has a license and there was nothing they could do.
Fiorito sees this differently and said that one of his reasons for running in ward 1, which isn’t where he lives, is because there is a significant environmental issue in that ward. And if Fiorito is anything – he is a protector of the environment.
Fiorito has been working at cleaning up ravines in the western part of Burlington – he now wants to work on a solution for everyone in the Tyendaga community where a brick manufacturing operation wants to cut down thousands of trees and begin mining for shale yards from their homes.
“I think there is a win – win possible here and I will be committing myself to working for the interests of the residents who have major economic interest as does the brick manufacturer.”
“No one has managed to bring these two groups together and work on their joints interest” – every one has sided with the brick maker and forgotten the taxpayers” said Fiorito. “That isn’t fair” he added.
The TEC people want to interview Fiorito before they put their support behind him.
I will be officially “Running for the Right Reasons” to represent Ward 1 on Burlington City Council very soon.
One motivating factor for me to run for City Council is the inaction on the Aldershot quarry expansion issue. Most of our elected representatives have failed to defend our right to clean air, pure water and uncontaminated food. Most are apathetic about local endangered species and habitat loss.
Since most of City Council won’t act, I will. I am going over their heads and appealing directly to the Ward 1 electorate. Please empower me to fight for a Ministerial Zoning Order to protect the health and safety of Ward 1 residents and protect a pristine forest from destruction!
FTR, I’ve been involved in fight against the Quarry expansion as soon as I learned about it and well before I became political. I am probably responsible for about 300 signatures on the TEC petition. I’ve gone to all the public meetings, where I asked tough questions. I have supported TEC financially.
The Ward 1 electorate has a right to know where I stand on ALL the issues before they vote.
At a general level, I support
Solving long term problems.
Creating a positive welcoming environment at City Hall, that is cooperative and collaborative. I will work with anyone where I agree with them. I will politely and respectfully work against people where I disagree with them. Its OK to disagree. Its NOT OK to be disagreeable.
Specifically, I support:
Fiscal Prudence. I oppose deficit financing and will never vote for a budget that increases debt or raises taxes faster than inflation.
Our Right to Know about local sources of pollution. If its in our air, water or food, we must have a right to know how it affects our health, where it originates and the size of the problem. Then we can take action to make our environment cleaner and healthier.
Revenue neutral pollution fees that lower municipal taxes and service fees for people who make environmentally wise choices and act as responsible stewards of the ecological systems that clean and purify our air and water.
Intelligent, urban intensification that solves traffic problems with mass transit solutions, increases the profitability of local businesses, eliminates food deserts and creates affordable, accessible housing.
Improving our public transportation system to the point where even wealthy people deliberately choose to give up their cars to save time and money.
Electoral Reform. Our electoral system must favor electing the best candidates, not incumbents.
We will see at least 3 new faces on city council after the October 22nd. Rick Craven (Ward 1) and John Taylor (Ward 3) are retiring. Marianne Meed Ward is running for Mayor (Ward 2)
If you share my ambition for positive progressive change, then help me fight for it. Its been at least a generation since Burlington has had an opportunity to clean house at City Hall.
I can win Ward 1, but….
I NEED YOU!
Please contact me to offer your help and share your ideas
Vince Fiorito
fiorito.vince@gmail.com
289-242-1993