Canada’s oldest weekly newspaper
© 2025 The Picton Gazette
Since 1830
(Jed Tallo/GazetteStaff)
How many court orders must be ignored before our government acts?
Picton Terminals has operated an unlicensed quarry for years, extracting 1.5 million tonnes of rock worth $60+ million while evading the licensing, environmental oversight, and community consultation required of every other quarry operator in Ontario.
In 2018, an Ontario Superior Court judgment ordered the cessation of aggregate operations on the Terminals’ parcel of land zoned Rural. The company ignored this ruling.
The Ministry of Natural Resources was deceived into allowing nearly a decade of extremely lucrative quarrying operations.
In 2024, our Council requested the province to hand a Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO) to Picton Terminals, a move that totally ignored the community when it needed Council support the most.
Meanwhile, residents and local businesses must follow every bylaw to the letter. This double standard erodes the foundation of democratic governance and environmental protection our community depends on.
It all reminds of what’s happening south of the border, where people with influence are above the law.
It’s time for equal justice under law. Our elected officials must choose: Will they enforce the rules equally, or will corporate interests continue to trump community welfare?
The future of Prince Edward County hangs in the balance. If we work together, we can restore accountability, protect our environment, and ensure equal justice under law. Stop Illegal Mining and Quarries In Prince Edward County.
Bill Beckett, Picton
During our recent visit to Prince Edward County, I was pleased to read your cover article, “Dark Skies Ahead” (News, October 22).
Dark skies are a great way to attract environmentally minded tourists and to hold them for extra days to enjoy the uniqueness of the sights. We’ve seen this make a positive difference for locations like PEC’s South Shore and surrounding communities and economies. As your article notes, there are effective ways with sensible lighting solutions to achieve dark skies while meeting homeowner and business needs.
We encourage the efforts to realize full Dark Sky Preserve status for the South Shore. This will add to the other benefits that residents and visitors alike will enjoy in your special part of the world.
Don Maruska, Los Osos, California
National Newspaper Week recognizes the critical role that newspapers play in an active and healthy democracy.
Local newspapers deliver vital information to Canadians, connecting communities across the country and keeping citizens informed, engaged, and connected.
Thousands of news stories are published in Canada each day. From local community features to national breaking news, the people behind the headlines work tirelessly to ensure readers have access to fact-based, fact-checked news they can trust.
But who exactly are the people behind the news? It could be the person sitting next to you at your favourite coffee shop or the spectator who cheers on your local little league each week; it’s someone in the community just like you!
Also just like you, the people behind the news care deeply about their community, so much so that they’ve made it their life’s work to separate fact from fiction to keep citizens informed and connected.
At the core of every newspaper is a team of real people committed to telling the stories that affect the lives of those in their community.
Champions of the truth come in many forms. It could be journalists and photographers who are on the ground capturing events as they happen —using the power of words and imagery to make change.
It could be publishers and editors who keep their newsrooms buzzing with opportunities to ensure that community stories make it beyond local borders. Or cartoonists who help readers interpret these same stories visually.
There are a handful of powerhouses behind every story with one common goal: keeping our democracy thriving through vibrant, independent and local news media.
During National Newspaper Week, we celebrate the real people behind the news for their ongoing commitment to keeping communities connected and our democracy thriving through credible reporting. While they may be people in your community, they are also champions of the truth, playing an integral role in keeping newspapers alive—the most credible source of information that remains written by humans, for humans.
Gordon Cameron, Ontario Community Newspaper Association
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