Watching the latest debacle at County Council over whether or not the County should enforce its bylaws and charge Picton Terminals with illegal container storage defies logic. It’s a bit like watching one of those Tik Tok videos of a dog trying to guess which cup holds the treat while in continuous motion.

Let’s recap. After blasting the limestone rock face and selling it to Toronto; after dumping tens of thousands of tonnes of road salt into Picton Bay; after a sunken barge shut down Picton’s water plant for 10 days and cost the County $700,000; and after all the complaints from neighbours about air, water and noise pollution, Picton Terminals now wants to become an international container port with 24/7 operations and all the clanging and banging noise, light, and dust that will bring. 

Remember what owner Ben Doornekamp told 99.3 County FM in 2016 when asked about his vision for Picton Bay? “Think Hamilton Harbour.” And there are still councillors and staff at Shire Hall drinking the Kool Aid, believing that a container port on a shallow inland channel — without rail — is a good idea.

So. What might the benefits be?

Jobs? There doesn’t appear to be any more than a handful now. There are a total of 15 employees at the Terminals. Most container ports are automated, requiring only a skeletal staff.

Tourism? Would you take a tour of Hamilton Harbour?

Improvements to Hwy 49? Increased container truck traffic will only make one of the top four worst roads in Ontario even worse. And I don’t imagine any money for improvements will be forthcoming.

What about compensation to the County for the quarrying of stone, like all other quarries in Ontario? The Terminals told the province that in order to build storage structures and a shipping road, they had to remove a certain amount of stone. They were then exempted from being called a quarry. So they never paid either the province or the municipality the taxes, royalties, and fees that would have been collected on the hundreds of thousands of metric tonnes of limestone they have quarried and barged all over Eastern Ontario. 

Ok. So what about property taxes? At least they must be paying something there?

The 2024 tax assessment is a matter of public record. For their 63-acre property, Picton Terminals was assessed at $1,141,000. That means an annual tax bill of just over $22,000. 

Merland Park Cottages, which promotes responsible holiday tourist camping and sport fishing on just 3 acres on Picton Bay pays more in property tax than Picton Terminals does for their 63 acres. The 71 homes and one business fronting on Picton Bay opposite the Terminals were assessed at a total of $35,829,000 last year, which means tax revenue of almost $434,000. And that is just the properties from Laird Lane to McFarland Park. There are likely many, many more properties disturbed by the continual rock blasting, quarrying, grinding, loading and unloading, noise, light, and dust from Picton Terminals.

The noise is only going to get worse. Recent studies show that the constant shunting of metal containers at all hours exceeds by a wide margin the normally accepted decibel readings for neighbouring residential areas.

So what happens if PT is allowed to expand into a container shipping port, with thousands of containers on its premises, stacked 5 storeys high? Will any of those on the opposite shore file for a reduced property assessment because of the dust, noise and 24/7 light? You bet they will. 

Who will make up the shortfall in revenue? Property tax payers in the rest of the County, from Cressy to Consecon, will be making up the shortfall for years to come.

Another consideration: I gather some County councillors are balking at the legal bills the County will incur if it persists in its court case against Picton Terminals. Fair enough. But have they considered the cost of the cleanup, never mind all the other consequences, should this 24/7 international shipping port have just one more fuel spill, or container spill, or sunken barge in Picton Bay? This is not a company with a track record of care for the environment.

It’s a shell game all right. Some on Council seem to think they know where the treat is. 

Surprise! It’s an empty cup!