b'CLIMATE CHANGEThe survey showed that 64 per cent of respondents considered climate change either a moderate or high priority and 90 per cent responded that climate change is either currently having a negative impact on operations or they predict it will have a negative impact in the futureAlthough the survey provided a small snapshot of what membersprogram to reflect this. The company also regularly communicates areexperiencingwithrespecttoclimatechange,webelieveitabout the risk and prevention of heat stress and heat-related illness, provides insight into what we expect to be a bigger conversationwhich are becoming more common as temperatures rise and heat around what it means for pit and quarry producers to operate in awaves become commonplace and prolonged. changing climate. Forsomeverticallyintegratedmembers,climatechange The survey showed that 64 per cent of respondents consideredmitigation is being addressed through innovation in cement and climate change either a moderate or high priority and 90 per centconcrete. Lafarges Canada 2030 Plan has an overarching aim that, responded that climate change is either currently having a negativeby 2030, one third of turnover will come from products, services impact on operations or they predict it will have a negative impactandsolutionswithanenhancedsustainabilityperformance.To in the future. We also learned that 80 per cent of respondents haveachieve this, the company will reduce net specific CO2 emissions implemented or are planning to implement an initiative to mitigateby 40 per cent per tonne of cement and help their customers avoid the impacts of climate change. 10milliontonnesofCO2beingreleasedfrombuildingseach year through innovative solutions. They also have committed to In an effort to reduce emissions, in 2019 the federal governmentreducing freshwater withdrawal in cement operations by 30 per introduced a carbon tax which includes a fuel charge component.cent, which will make a positive impact in water-scarce areas. With increased fuel and energy costs, its no surprise that higher transportationcostswereamongthetopindustryconcerns,Survey respondents also recognized that rehabilitation efforts will particularly for pits and quarries located further from market.be impacted by extreme weather events and there will be greater emphasis on rehabilitation to offset the impacts of climate change. Toaddressthis,welearnedthatmembersarepurchasingorThe Ontario Biodiversity Strategy recognizes that by enhancing the increasing the number of hybrid or electric vehicles in their fleetresiliency of our ecosystems, they will be better able to withstand to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fuel costs will alsoand recover from stresses such as climate change. At Miller Paving drive changes like using land conveyors instead of haul trucks andLtd.s Braeside Quarry, the company has preserved more than 26 connecting to the grid instead of using on-site generators.hectares of rare forest (home to the worlds largest population In2016,DufferinAggregatesinstalledthreeelectricvehicleof Rams Head Ladys Slipper) near their active quarry. Annual chargingstationsattheirMiltonQuarry.BrentQuarriesinmonitoring is ongoing to ensure the protection and enhancement Muskokaarealsoplanningtoconverttheirfleetofmobileof species diversity necessary to combat climatechange. equipment and their screening and washing equipment from dieselAsdroughtsbecomemorecommon,quarriesmayplayan to electric in the coming years. As 90 per cent of their deliveriesimportant role in supporting the surrounding landscape and their are within 10 kilometres of their facilities, the company intends tocommunities. For example, in 2016, during a period of drought, embrace electric dump truck technology once available. In a moveDufferin Aggregates Milton Quarry supplied water for watering towards carbon neutral operations, the company has three sitestrees in the Region of Haltons regional forest track. The quarry with 500 kW solar panels each and they heat their buildings withalso has the ability to supply water to the nearby Conservation pellet boilers. They also utilize heated storage buildings to keepHalton system of reservoirs if needed. machinery warm in the winter months, which use less energy than traditional electric block heaters.Climate change also means that infrastructure will be at risk frommoresevereandfrequentstormsandflooding.Essential ADDRESSING CONCERNS infrastructure such as roads, water, bridges and subways could be Wealsoheardourmembersconcernsaroundvector-bornecompromised. The aggregate industry will need to be adaptive diseasesandheat-relatedimpactsforworkers.Lymediseaseisand innovative to operate in a changing climate and support the carried by black-legged ticks and is spreading to more parts ofessential infrastructure that we all rely on.Ontario due to climate change. James Dick Construction Limited has recognized that with warmer temperatures, working outsideClimate change will require everyone to be mindful, innovative can bring an increased risk of exposure to the health threat posedand resilient. The aggregate industry has an important role to play andtheyhavemodifiedtheirInfectiousandZoonoticDiseasethe challenge.by vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and West Nile Virusin this new worldand as always, the industry is stepping up to WINTER 2022AVENUES 21'