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Conflict in Tiny Town: Aggregate Mining at the Alliston Aquifer

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Book cover Group Decision and Negotiation: Methodological and Practical Issues (GDN 2022)

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Abstract

Conflict over an application to expand aggregate mining in the Township of Tiny, Ontario, is investigated using the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution. This analysis sheds light on a consequential and growing class of multi-jurisdictional resources conflict in Ontario, aggregate mining. At the same time, because the Alliston aquifer contains the purest known naturally occurring water globally, this work describes an aggregate dispute in a unique setting. Analysis indicates that the evaluation process provides more opportunities to approve the application to expand mining at the site. However, some residents opposing the site are seeking novel ways to intervene in the process, such as appealing for federal intervention based on the unique status of the aquifer.

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Philpot, S., Mirnasl, N., Hipel, K.W. (2022). Conflict in Tiny Town: Aggregate Mining at the Alliston Aquifer. In: Morais, D.C., Fang, L. (eds) Group Decision and Negotiation: Methodological and Practical Issues. GDN 2022. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 454. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07996-2_6

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