Aggregate is the foundation of Ontario’s growth. From your home’s foundation to your local school and water sanitation systems. You find stone, sand and gravel everywhere in your daily life.
What Is Aggregate?
Aggregate is the technical name for stone, sand and gravel used in construction. It is in the buildings we live and work in. It’s the roads and sidewalks we drive and walk on. It plays a vital role in the water purification process and can even be found as filler in paper and some pharmaceuticals. When you think about it, aggregate is quite literally the foundation of our economy and society – which is a very impressive accomplishment for something as small as a grain of sand.
Where Does Aggregate Come From?
Aggregate is surface-mined in pits and quarries across Ontario. Quarries are large, naturally occurring deposits of rock like granite, limestone and sandstone used in building materials. While the term “mining” is used to describe the process of rock extraction and generally conjures up images of tunnels stretching deep into the earth, quarries are actually located at the surface. In fact, they rarely reach a depth greater than 100 feet.
Like other types of minerals aggregates is only found in places where nature put it.
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Aggregate is needed for everything in the built environment. From sidewalk to community centre and even toothpaste, aggregate is the most consumed natural resource in the world!
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On average, approximately 164 million tonnes of aggregate are used in Ontario each year. That's about 12 tonnes per person.
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Between 2026 and 2041 Ontario will need 4 billion tonnes of aggregate to keep up the growing population and the need for more infrastructure, housing and other construction.
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The aggregate industry in Ontario contributes $3.4 billion directly and indirectly to the province’s GDP. That translates to 7,000 direct jobs, 34,000 indirect jobs and $1.8 billion of employment income.
“The aggregate industry is committed to sustainable practices and long-term land stewardship that enables positive community relations. Despite being one of the most highly regulated industries in the province, producers often go above and beyond, doing their best to protect the environment.”
Aggregate and Sustainability
Ontario’s aggregate industry is among the cleanest and most highly regulated in the province, governed by 25 laws that protect people, the environment and future resources. These include the Aggregate Resources Act and key provincial plans. Producers often go above and beyond regulatory requirements, supporting conservation initiatives. No chemicals are used, and stripped topsoil is stored onsite and reused to rehabilitate pits and quarries back to productive use.
Aggregate and Rehabilitation
Quarries and pits are a temporary land use. As extraction is completed, sites are progressively rehabilitated for uses such as wetlands, wildlife habitat, parks, forestry or agriculture. Rehabilitation is carefully planned, with land reshaped, topsoil replaced and erosion controlled. Producers are legally required to complete both progressive and final rehabilitation in accordance with approved site plans. Many former sites, including more than 70 in Toronto, have become valued community and natural assets. Learn more about award-winning rehabilitation projects in Ontario here.
Close-to-Market Stone, Sand and Gravel
Aggregate is located near where it’s used to reduce economic, environmental and social impacts. Transportation accounts for about 60 per cent of costs, and longer distances significantly increase fuel use and emissions. If every load in Ontario travelled just one additional kilometre, fuel use would rise by 2.5 million litres annually and emissions by 6,907 tonnes. Locating pits and quarries close to demand supports efficiency and sustainability.
Aggregate Production and Water Use
Aggregate operators primarily manage water, not consume it, 92 per cent of water used on aggregate sites in Ontario is recycled. Most sites operate above the water table, using recycled water in closed-loop systems with minimal loss. If operating below the water table, materials are removed without affecting water levels, or water is safely discharged and returned to the environment. Operations are strictly regulated, require mitigation measures and use no chemicals. In some cases, sites can even enhance groundwater recharge and support aquatic habitats.
Aggregate by the Numbers
An average brick home requires 250 tonnes of aggregate, which equals 12 truckloads.
An average school needs 13,000 tonnes of aggregate, or 650 truckloads.
One kilometre of a six-lane road uses 51,800 tonnes of aggregate, or 2,590 truckloads.
One kilometre of a subway needs 91,200 tonnes of aggregate, or 4,560 truckloads.
There are more than 21,000 truckloads of aggregate in Ontario on any one working day.
It would take approximately 2,624,000 extra litres of diesel fuel annually, if every truck had to drive just 1 extra kilometre to their site.
The GTA consumes over 50 million tonnes of aggregate annually, and demand is growing.