Minister's Response on the Designation Request for the GTA West Project

GTA West Project

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is proposing the construction, operation and maintenance of a new highway located in the northwest Greater Toronto Area. As proposed, the GTA West Project, which will be called highway 413 upon completion, would be 59 kilometres in length and pass through the municipalities of Vaughan, Caledon, Brampton, and Halton Hills. It would connect highway 400 (between Kirby Road and King-Vaughan Road), to the highway 401/407 interchange area, located near the northern end of highway 403.

Decision

Designated project.

Reasons

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has considered the potential for the Project to cause adverse effects within federal jurisdiction, adverse direct or incidental effects, public concern related to these effects, as well as adverse impacts on the Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. The Minister also considered the analysis of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.

The Minister has reached the decision that the designation of the Project is warranted as the Project may cause adverse direct or incidental effects on the critical habitat of federally-listed species at risk that may not be mitigated through project design or the application of standard mitigation measures, or through existing legislative mechanisms. The Minister also took into account the public concerns related to these potential effects.

Document Reference Number: 150

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