Ontario Construction News staff writer
Concerned citizens, the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition, and Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition applaud those elected officials in Barrie and Innisfil who โtook a stand for Lake Simcoeโ by refusing to endorse the Bradford Bypass project.
โThe arguments for saving Lake Simcoe were at the forefront, thankfully,โ says Claire Malcolmson, executive director of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition.
โWe have been able to caution municipal elected officials of the risks of blindly having faith in the provinceโs new environmental assessment process. And thatโs because their process is to build now, and assess and mitigate as you go. Thatโs not responsible, and thatโs no way to treat the most sensitive wetland in the Lake Simcoe watershed.โ
Advocates argue that the spirit of the provinceโs Lake Simcoe Protection Plan is being ignored while some politicians โpromote a highway that will add salt to the delicate aquatic ecosystem, accelerate climate change, destroy provincially significant forests and wetlands, and does a poor job of protecting species at riskโ.
They say misinformation is being perpetuated by some local elected officials, Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney and the MTOโs Bradford Bypass team.
Concerns include that โearly worksโ like bridge supports are proposed to be built before the Environmental Assessment (EA) is complete.
Mulroney is quoted by Bradford Today saying; โBy early 2022 construction will be able to start on Yonge Street. We want the Environmental Assessment to be completed, that is critical.โ
A Ministry of Transportation letter to York Region dated March 17, 2021, says Preliminary Design/ EA Update Study would be completed by late 2022.
โStarting construction before studies are complete would make the EA process just a show, and one that does not influence the decision about whether to, or where to, build a road to relieve traffic congestion in the Town of Bradford,โ the coalition wrote in a press release.
โIf you canโt get basic information and consistent facts about the highway answered, you have to ask why?โ asks Margaret Prophet, Executive Director of SCGC.
โA government โfor the peopleโ should want people to be informed and involved. What we have here is a process that is shrouded in inconsistencies, secrecy and obstruction and that should concern everyone.โ
The provinceโs website for the Bradford Bypass says that through the Class EA process, MTO will complete a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) which will document:
- The transportation needs, problems and opportunities;
- Existing environmental conditions;
- A summary of consultation undertaken throughout the Study;
- The generation, assessment and evaluation of alternatives within the Study Area;
- The preferred alternative(s) / recommended plan; and,
- A summary of potential environmental issues and mitigation measures and environmental commitments to be carried forward through future design stages.
Advocates are also concerned that the Bypass will become another 407 boondoggle. Neither the MTO nor the Minister will directly answer if this road will become a toll road built for future private investment.
โResidents who plan on using the Bypass need to know whose pockets theyโre going to be liningโ, said Prophet.
โWill truck traffic move out of free roads to use a toll road? Not likely. Will the public pay the price of the highwayโs impacts just so private corporations can make mega-bucks? โBuild now, figure out details laterโ isnโt how a huge highway project should proceed, especially when we have peopleโs water, climate and health on the line.โ