Concerns About Ash Grove Mississauga Cement Plant

The Park Royal Community Association (PRCA) has environmental concerns associated with Ash Grove Mississauga Cement Plant (formerly St. Lawrence Cement then Holcim Canada) located at 2391 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga – just south of Park Royal. Ash Grove was acquired by CRH, a Dublin-based multinational company, in 2015.

Ash Grove cannot meet the 2023 provincial air quality/emission standards put in place by the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP). As such, they are asking the Ministry to approve an alternate standard, known as “site-specific standards” (it is comparable to an exemption) for its operations.

If granted by the Ministry, it would allow Ash Grove to continue to emit in excess of the provincial standards for the next 10 years or potentially longer.

Ash Grove’s current emissions for sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) is approximately 12 times the recommended level and nitrogen oxides (NOx), approximately 4 times the recommended level. These emissions are harmful to our health and the environment, creating smog and acid rain.

In 2018, the Ministry of the Environment notified all facilities of upcoming changes to standards and the need to determine modelling tools to ensure facilities would be able to meet provincial standards particularly SO2 and NOx.  Ash Grove failed to do this and is now unable to meet provincial air quality standards unless they reduce operations.

The Clarkson area is home to the largest concentration of heavy industries in Mississauga and our air quality is stressed. Clarskon residents deserve better.

Julie Desjardins, a long-time environmental activist for our community, is spearheading the initiative to demand a formal public meeting before the Ministry considers any request for an exemption/site-specific standards. This letter is based on her research and understanding.

Considering the proposed residential densification of our area, air quality concerns are of increasing importance.

If you, too, feel this is an important issue and want to add your voice to the debate, please add your personal information to the letter (or compose your own letter) and email it to the list of people shown at the top of the letter.

It would be great if you copy PRCA at prcaboard@parkroyalca.org that way we can get a feel for community engagement.

Please share this communication with neighbours and other residents in the Clarkson area and encourage them to add their voices.