OSSGA accepting Industry Recognition award submissions

TORONTO — The Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (OSSGA) is accepting submissions for its Industry Recognition Awards Program until Nov. 9.

The awards recognize a wide range of activities that contribute to a progressive image of member aggregate producers and the aggregate industry as a whole, states the OSSGA website, adding a key goal is to raise the bar in the industry by highlighting operations that go above and beyond what is required by legislation.

The most commonly sought after awards include the Community Relations, Progressive Rehabilitation, Judges’ Choice and Property Enhancement.

A site that receives all three of these awards is eligible to receive the OSSGA Award of Excellence.

These awards are presented to the most dedicated of operators who have consistently demonstrated not only exceptional operations, but also the desire to work closely with all stakeholders to build communities from the ground up, the website indicates.

The Community Relations Award is based on four individual criteria: being a good neighbour, community involvement, media relations and community education.

The Property Enhancement Award recognizes ongoing site improvements in seven sections: entrance approach and perimeter screening; office and scale house areas; employee areas; plant appearance; environmental controls; trucks and mobile equipment; and communicative signs.

Other awards include the following:

• The Progressive Rehabilitation Award recognizes ongoing progressive rehabilitation at a site in accordance to the original site plans and operational designs.
• The Judges’ Choice Award is also given to the best examples of progressive rehabilitation, and is chosen from among all the applications.
• The Outstanding Achievement in Property Rehabilitation Award recognizes final rehabilitation.
• The Environmental Achievement Award recognizes the efforts of individual operators who have proactively developed and implemented industry-leading policies, programs or projects that protect and improve the environment.
• The Biodiversity Award recognizes industry leaders who go well beyond the standard practices and typical activities undertaken by members of the industry to conserve biodiversity, the website indicates.

Eligible entries will include industry-leading policies, programs or projects that align with the goals of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2011.

For more information visit www.ossga.com.