[All] Hidden Valley: Letters needed

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks

I've been busy keeping up on fighting to protect Hidden Valley.  The Region wants to do the River Road Extension to basically make a secondary route to bypass traffic from Manitou to Best Buy. They say it will reduce traffic collisions from Fairway road, but they don't tell you it will simply transfer the collision risks to the new point of intersection instead. 

The plans are based on a 1999 master plan, before the Region even grasped the concept of climate change. Their remedy back in the day is that when traffic grows, build more roads. But now we've built so many the only areas left are the ones that have the highest ecological constraints. They are the habitats for rare species and natural recharge areas we rely on for our Municipal Water. 

I started fighting to protect Hidden Valley in 2004. I know the area is primary recharge and we know it has pristine water conditions because they confirmed endangered Jefferson Salamanders here. Those animals breath through the skin so any toxicity issues shows up in this indicator species. The fact that they are there represents and incredible quality of water that we need to help dilute our road salt issues and legacy contamination issues. 

The original cost was 24 milion but now it's up to 74 million dollars because they kept having to redesign the road around the salamanders. I work with a group called Friends of Hidden Valley and with Naturalist Neil Taylor and we all pressured the Region to do this in compliance to Species At Risk Act.  For 74 million they can afford to purchase 144 hybrid buses at 500,000 each or they could extend the LRT for another 3km. I went to council yesterday to state that before they decided on the final plan so it's on record. In my view you can't build more roads to solve the problem. Back when this plan was first proposed in 2004, population was 495,000. Our population is jumping up to 742,000 in the next 17 years. That's our provincial growth target. Whatever benefits of offsetting traffic is bound to be negated by the fast growth we have. The only way to mitigate the traffic and associated health and pollution risks is to mitigate cars off the roadways by
 investing in reasonable public transportation options. 

In my speech I researched collisions in Waterloo Region. The main cause is rear end collision and the hour it happens the most is 5 o'clock. When folks drive hungry and tired, accidents happen. They need to look at the actual stastics and stop thinking they can make an infrastructure solve the problem of human behaviour.

I also found out at the last open house that there is a HUGE number of rare species in Hidden Valley that the public has not been reasonably notified about. I read about these in the LGL Environmental Impact reports. They include the following:

Barn Swallow (threatened) Butternut Trees (Threatnened) Chimney Swift (Threatened) Bobolink (Threatened) Milk Snake (Special Concern) Snapping Turtle (Special Concern) Nighthawk (Special Concern) Bald Eagle (Special Concern) Canada Warbler (Special Concern)

Suitable habiat exists but data is lacking to confirm the presence for Least Bittern (Threatened) Rusty Patch Bumble Bee (Endangered) Northern Myotis (Long Eared Bat)

Naturalist Neil Taylor also knows about Cerulean Warblers (threatened) and Acadian Flycatchers (endangered)

His data is online here: http://www.kwfn.ca/Conservation/River%20Road%20Extension/NT%20Response%20to%20River%20Rd%20Exten.pdf

I know about most of these species because I saw the Environmental Impact Study at the Open House. It was not on display but someone left a copy and I took the time to go through it with my Camera. I posted the photos online here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/64027613@N00/sets/72157636164364475/

I've been discussing the issues with the Wildlands League, Ecojustice and Ontario Nature. Right now the best way folks can help is to write to the Provincial MNR Minister, the Minister of Transportation and the Region of Waterloo to request the following. 

Bump up this Class EA Schedule C project to a Class EA schedule D which has higher constraints and better monitoring to to the complex nature of this project to mitigate risks and secure better quality of data upon which the ministries can form their decision.

There can be no judiciary review of this issue until critical habitat has been identified for ALL the listed threatened and endangered species identified in Hidden Valley. 
Request that the Region of Waterloo and the Ministries pursue the proper authorization for all the listed species at risk. 

It appears that discretionary powers were used to scope the Environmental Assessment process to the area of the roadway itself excluding reasonable habitat protection provisions in compliance to the Ontario Endangered Species Act and the Species At Risk Act therefore the supporting data of this project as it stands currently is insufficient.

Here are the folks to email: 

Waterloo Region Regional Council regionalcouncil at regionofwaterloo.ca
MNR Minister David Orazietti   dorazietti.mpp at liberal.ola.org
Ministry of Transporation gmurray.mpp at liberal.ola.org


If you can pass this along through your channels I'd appreciate it. Deadline for public comments to the ministries and region at this point is APRIL 5th. 

Letters to the Editors regarding this would be super too. 

Thanks! 

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ont.
N2V 2L2
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