PHOTO: Protest at Dufferin gates

March 22 was day seven of a protest by members of the Ontario Aggregate Trucking Association (OATA) at quarries in the Toronto region, with an estimated 200 drivers and owner-operators slowing other non-OATA drivers as they attempted to exit the quarries.

Pictured, protesters spent the day at a Dufferin aggregates quarry in Flamborough, north Hamilton. Driver Dalvir Mangat said rates paid by the quarries have not increased in over 10 years and with changing payment plans, in some cases fees paid are lower than they were a decade ago, while diesel has doubled in price in the last year. The protesters said a deal had been reached with the non-OATA drivers to allow them to leave every 10 minutes. Dufferin has not yet responded to a request for comment. Contractors and other stakeholders have said the protest threatens to halt concrete pours across the province. Watch for further coverage soon.