[All] Fw: GTA West Contact Us Form Submission

Thu Jul 8 11:39:53 EDT 2021

Hi folks
Info regarding the new highway they want to put in West of Toronto through the Greenbelt in case folks want a say. I left my comments. 
Lulu 

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

On Thursday, July 8, 2021, 11:18 AM, project_team at gta-west.com wrote:

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Hello,

Thank you for your interest in Stage 2 of the GTA West Transportation Corridor Route Planning and Environmental Assessment Study. The province is committed to improving the transportation network across the province to reduce congestion and get people moving. Your comments will be considered by the Project Team and will form part of the consultation record for the GTA West Study. We encourage you to visit the project website at www.gta-west.com for more information as a number of the issues you raised are addressed there. 

The GTA West Transportation Corridor is vital transportation infrastructure covering York, Peel and Halton regions. It will include a 400-series highway, transitway, goods movement priority features, and associated infrastructure such as transit way stations and maintenance yards. As the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) is an economic driver for the province, addressing transportation needs in the GGH is essential to the competitiveness of our economy. 

The need for the GTA West Highway and Transit Corridor has been reinforced by updated 2051 GGH population and employment growth forecasts, which indicate that GGH’s population is projected to grow to almost 15 million people by 2051. Without more transportation infrastructure, Ontario will suffer from even worse gridlock. The major highways in Halton, York and Peel Regions, for example, are all forecasted to be operating over capacity by 2031, even with significant investments in transit. Motorists and trucks that travel the entire GTA West highway in rush hours are projected to save approximately 30 minutes (not 30 seconds) as compared to travelling on Highway 401 and Highway 400.

Environmental Assessment Process

The GTA West Transportation Corridor Route Planning and Environmental Assessment (GTA West EA) study is being undertaken in two stages. 

Stage 1 studied the area and looked at long-term projections to determine if new road infrastructure is needed. The study found that even with significant investments in public transit improvements, optimizing the existing transportation network and widening existing highways, a new highway corridor is needed to keep up with projected population and employment growth. For more information regarding Stage 1 please visit https://www.gta-west.com/reports-2/.

The GTA West Study is currently in Stage 2 of the Individual EA process and following the GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference, which was approved by the Ontario Minister of the Environment on March 4, 2008. Please visit https://www.gta-west.com/reports-2/ for the approved Terms of Reference and support documents. Stage 2 has focused on developing and evaluating a short list of route alternatives to select a Preferred Route. The GTA West Project Team announced the Preferred Route and 2020 Focused Analysis Area (FAA) to the public on August 7, 2020. Please see https://www.gta-west.com/reports-2/ for the Preferred Route announcement. The project is now in the preliminary design phase, which focuses on further refining the route for the new highway and transit corridor within the study area. 

Minimizing Impacts to Health and the Environment

One of the key considerations in selecting the Preferred Route was minimizing impacts to the Greenbelt, natural environment and agricultural lands. To arrive at a Preferred Route, several route alternatives were considered in each section to allow the consideration of impacts and benefits to a variety of factors.  As we go through the preliminary design phase, the project team will be consulting with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and undertaking an Agricultural Impact Assessment (or equivalent study) in accordance with OMAFRA requirements. Further mitigation, compensation and/or enhancement measures related to the Greenbelt, natural environment and agriculture are being considered during the preliminary design phase of the study in consultation with stakeholders. For more information please visit https://www.gta-west.com/theenvironment/.

The Project Team is committed to maintaining strong environmental oversight of the GTA West project to minimize impacts on natural terrain, while at the same time developing measures to mitigate potential impacts to environmental, groundwater, agricultural, cultural and heritage resources. To learn about the EA process for the GTA West highway and transit transportation corridor and how Ontario protects the environment when building new infrastructure, please visit https://www.gta-west.com/theenvironment/.

The scope of work related to air quality for the GTA West Study includes specific studies to assess the potential air quality effects of the project. If deemed necessary according to the MTO’s Environmental Guide for Assessing and Mitigating the Air Quality Impacts and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Provincial Transportation Projects, the Project Team will identify possible measures to reduce impacts to air quality. A noise assessment will also be completed in accordance with MTO’s Environmental Guide for Noise and mitigation measures recommended as per the guide. The findings of the air quality and noise assessments will be made available to the public. 

Public and Stakeholder Engagement

As part of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process, the Project Team will continue to consult with stakeholders and members of the public at key stages of the study. For more information regarding upcoming and past consultations please visit  https://www.gta-west.com/consultation-2/.

A Community Value Plan (CVP) is being developed to incorporate Indigenous communities and public input into the design of the project. This plan will reflect the social, cultural, historical, and environmental interests of Indigenous and local community members, and may include elements such as the commemoration of heritage/archeological sites, aesthetics, landscaping, trails, connectivity, wildlife crossings, artistic elements at the gateways, and more.

Sincerely, 

The GTA West Project Team 

Email: project_team at gta-west.com

Toll-Free: 1-877-522-6916

Website: www.gta-west.com

Twitter: @GTAWestStudy

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