The Ford government is cutting the time allotted for provincial environmental assessments for key projects like highways, railways, and electricity transmission lines.
The changes were announced Tuesday as part of the “Get It Done Act.” In a statement, the government emphasized the changes are crucial for accelerating infrastructure development and supporting the province’s population growth as Ontario invests nearly $98 billion over the next decade in new infrastructure. Examples given of critical projects include the proposed construction of Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. Highway 413 is undergoing federal environmental assessment. Large projects are often subjected to assessments from both levels of government. The new rules will not impact the timeline for federal impact assessments.
Environmentalists expressed deep concern, arguing the change could lead to devastating environmental and climate impacts with long-lasting consequences.
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“It is extremely troubling to see the Ford government trying to shortcut and circumvent the good, proven planning processes for these complex infrastructure and construction projects,” said Kevin Thomason, an environmental advocate in Waterloo. “Trying to remove these planning processes is not likely to work out well for the Ford government, as so many of their ongoing series of flip-flops and reversals is proving, time and time again.”
In the statement, Ontario’s environment, conservation and parks minister said the changes aim to expedite major infrastructure projects and potentially reduce completion times by up to four years.
“By streamlining and simplifying the process for routine projects like new roads and highways, we are making it easier and faster to get public infrastructure projects built, while maintaining strong environmental oversight,” said Environment Minister Andrea Khanjin in the statement. “We’re doing so while protecting strong environmental oversight and ensuring meaningful consultations before projects can move forward.”
According to the statement, the bill would permit provincial and municipal governments to expropriate land for major projects before environmental assessments are completed. The Ontario government will consult with municipal partners to streamline processes for certain municipal water, shoreline and sewage system projects with the aim of reducing the planning process to six months, instead of 18 months or more, the ministry said.
“Our government is supporting municipal partners by streamlining and simplifying complex environmental assessment processes to get shovels in the ground and finish major projects faster,” said Khanjin.
If the proposed Highway 413 is built, it would cut through 2,000 acres of farmland, cross 85 waterways, pave nearly 400 acres of protected Greenbelt land, disrupt 220 wetlands, and impact the habitats of 10 species at risk. Map from Environmental Defence
Public opposition to the government’s Highway 413 plan has been growing, particularly after the Greenbelt land swap scandal. A new traffic study also shows Ontario’s Highway 413 is not needed, suggesting that subsidizing tolls for trucks on the Highway 407 Express Toll Route (ETR) could substantially alleviate traffic congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) without the need to sacrifice environmentally protected land for the construction of Highway 413.
“As grandmothers, we are deeply concerned that the Ford government’s ‘Get it Done Act’ will curtail needed provincial environmental assessments,” said Louise Brownlee, co-chair of GASP. #GetItDoneAct #Highway413 #BradfordBypass
“As grandmothers, we are deeply concerned that the Ford government’s ‘Get it Done Act’ will curtail needed provincial environmental assessments,” said Louise Brownlee, co-chair of GASP. “We implore the minister of environment to not use powers to fill a temporary gap as we wait for a federal impact assessment on the 413.”
The proposed 60-kilometre Highway 413, also known as the GTA West Corridor, aims to alleviate congestion in the fast-growing Greater Toronto Area and connect Milton and Vaughan. If built, it would cut through 2,000 acres of farmland, cross 85 waterways, pave nearly 400 acres of protected Greenbelt land, disrupt 220 wetlands and impact the habitats of 10 species at risk.
The environmental costs could be felt for decades and some areas could be forever destroyed, said Thomason. “The folks wanting these planning processes removed are not normally seeking greater environmental protections or strong climate protection/actions.” The changes being proposed need to be strongly rejected and instead, a focus on collaborative, sustainable, long-term solutions is needed, he added.
Sandy Shaw, the Ontario NDP environment critic, said the announcement raises serious questions about the future of environmental protection in the province.
“The premier and his government have learned nothing from their Greenbelt scheme and keep pushing ahead with policies that they know are harmful,” said Shaw.
“This government’s disastrous track record on the environment speaks for itself. They were ready to pave over precious farmland and the Greenbelt on behalf of their friends and donors, and only reversed course because they got caught.”
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