La Cloche Mountains Preservation Society

On what was described as a “historic day for Canada,” mining giant Vale announced it has formally ceded Willisville Mountain and other sensitive parcels of land surrounding it from an aggregate license associated with the company’s nearby Lawson Quarry.

The announcement, attended by Ontario Minister of Natural Resources Linda Jeffrey, comes less than a year after local resident and preservationist Jon Butler raised the alarm that the mining company’s aggregate license for the quartz quarry extended from the current area of operations on Highway 6 to include the mountain and land surrounding nearby Lang and Charlton Lakes.

“This is a historic day for Canada, the La Cloche area, Willisville Mountain and the village of Willisville,” Butler, president of the Willisville & La Cloche Mountains Preservation Society said. “Vale must be sincerely congratulated for their move to preserve the Willisville Mountain area for our future generations.”

The announcement was made at the community centre in Whitefish Falls on Friday, April 15, 2011.