Two quarry operations are one step closer to expanding in the RM of Rockwood, while a third has received the green light from the Municipal Board for rezoning.
Black Bear Rescue Manitoba owners Judy and Roger Stearns
On March 27, the Municipal Board gave its decision on a lengthy appeal process that started years ago after Rockwood council defeated a rezoning application from Maple Leaf Construction, which wanted to rezone a piece of land from Agricultural Limited-Stonewall Vicinity Zone to Industrial Extractive Zone. The land is located south of Road 78N between Road 6E and 7E on the east side of Provincial Road 236.
Council gave first reading on Oct. 14, 2020, and the municipality held a public hearing in February 2022 at which time some members of the public voiced objections and concerns. In March 2022, Rockwood council denied the rezoning request, which led to an appeal to the Municipal Board by Maple Leaf Construction. The board rejected the proposal in March 2023, so the developer initiated a judicial review to the Court of Queen’s Bench in April 2023.
In May 2025, the judicial review sent the matter back to the Municipal Board for reconsideration of the rezoning application. In March 2026, the Municipal Board confirmed that the rezoning is confirmed to proceed, with the RM of Rockwood and Maple Leaf Construction entering into a development agreement. A minimum 400-metre buffer zone must be maintained between quarry operations and any existing residential dwellings.
As ordered by the Municipal Board, Rockwood council passed second and third readings to a bylaw to amend the zoning bylaw during the April 8 regular meeting.
“They have shortened significantly the separation distance to 400 metres, which sets a precedent for what we’re discussing today,” Coun. Neal Wirgau told the Tribune. “The municipality was an opponent of that, and it cost us over $100,000 in legal fees.”
Reeve Wes Taplin noted that the Municipal Board decision is final. He expects that the Municipal Board would issue similar orders if other quarry proposals end up before them for consideration.
With that in mind, Rockwood council also conditionally approved an application from Heidelberg Materials to allow extraction activities to extend west onto additional lands near Provincial Road 236 about half a mile from Stonewall. The designation and zoning is agricultural in that area. Coun. Lana Hintz opposed the proposal.
In response to questions from Coun. Curtis McClintock, Taplin noted that traffic studies still need to occur before access to the site and haul routes can be confirmed.
Hintz also expressed concern about the absence of traffic studies at the time of the vote.
“I have concerns that we haven’t addressed that yet,” she said. “I know we say it’s a provincial highway, but it’s still within our municipality and I’m really concerned about it.”
A separate rezoning application from Heidelberg Materials is now going to South Interlake Planning District to be referred to the Municipal Board for review after Rockwood council approved the first two readings. The Town of Stonewall objected to it, and since the town is a government body, it automatically gets referred to the Municipal Board. The Municipal Board will provide the next steps to the South Interlake Planning District and the RM of Rockwood. The rezoning application aims to change land from “industrial extractive holding” to “industrial extractive,” which would allow Heidelberg Materials to expand its quarry operation north of Stonewall.
Rockwood council has conditionally approved a limestone quarry proposed by Amrize Canada Inc., with landowners Ralph Scott Paterson and Candyce Rae Paterson, that would establish aggregate extraction on agricultural land located between a quarter-mile and 1.5 miles from the Town of Stonewall boundary.
Councillors Curtis McClintock and Lana Hintz opposed the proposal.
The proposed quarry site is located between Road 78N and Road 79N and on both sides of Road 4E, with multiple farm residences — as well as Black Bear Rescue Manitoba — situated within a quarter- to half-mile of the extraction area.
The approval includes a series of operating conditions, particularly around hauling, hours of operation and blasting.
Hauling will be capped at a maximum of 25 loads per day and restricted to routes approved by both the municipality and Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure. The final haul route has not yet been determined, and the municipality retains the ability to amend routes with notice. Dust control measures and any required road upgrades will be the responsibility of the operator.
Crushing, loading and hauling will be permitted only Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., with no activity allowed on weekends or statutory holidays. Blasting, if required, will be limited to weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with advance notice required.
Crushing operations will not be permitted at the new site and will remain limited to existing pits east of PR 236.
Additional conditions include annual well testing within a one-mile radius, environmental safeguards and the requirement for a development agreement before any work can begin.
Reeve Wes Taplin said the development agreement would provide an opportunity to address any outstanding concerns not already covered by the conditions.
About 20 people attended the meeting to observe the vote, with some expressing disappointment following council’s decision.
Judy Stearns, who runs Black Bear Rescue Manitoba with her husband Roger, said she is disappointed with the outcome.
“All I know is that if the quarry goes through, the bear rescue is closing,” she told the Tribune. “That’s all we know.”
Likewise, Roger expressed concern about what the future will hold.
“There are so many things that haven’t been communicated about what the plan looks like, so this has a long way to go. This is just the first step in the process,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that they’re starting the quarry, but it’s disappointing that council approved it.”
Stonewall Mayor Sandra Smith also attended the Rockwood council meeting, along with other members of Stonewall council. She provided an update to Stonewall council during their meeting that evening.
“Obviously, we’re very disappointed with the decisions that were made today,” Smith said. “As a council, we do have some decisions to make with respect to how to move forward, and we’ll be discussing that internally.”
