GTA West Transportation Corridor
Project information about this environmental assessment.
Current status
We are proposing an exemption regulation to streamline the existing environmental assessment process for the Ministry of Transportation’s GTA West Transportation Corridor.
Project summary
The purpose of this study is to examine long-term transportation problems and opportunities to the year 2031 and consider alternative solutions to provide better linkages between Urban Growth Centres in the GTA West Corridor Preliminary Study Area, including Downtown Guelph, Downtown Milton, Brampton City Centre and Vaughan Corporate Centre, as identified in the Growth Plan.
Learn more on the GTA West project website.
Proponent
Ministry of Transportation
Location
Vaughan west to Guelph area
Type
Transportation
Reference number
06033
Contact
Antonia Testa, Environmental Assessment Branch
Email: antonia.testa@ontario.ca
Project history
Exemption regulation proposal (2020)
Date submitted: July 8, 2020
Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: June 15, 2007
Expiry of public comment period: July 16, 2007
Decision date: March 4, 2008
Exemption regulation (2020)
Ontario is updating its almost 50-year-old environmental assessment program to support building safer and stronger communities. In our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, we committed to supporting environmental planning by addressing duplication, streamlining processes, improving service standards to reduce delays, and better recognizing other planning processes.
We are committed to building a strong environmental assessment program that considers the input of local communities and focuses on projects that have the highest impact to the environment.
Proposed regulation for a streamlined environmental assessment process for the Ministry of Transportation’s Greater Toronto Area (GTA) West Transportation Corridor project
The GTA West Transportation Corridor project is a new multimodal transportation corridor that will include a 400-series highway, transitway, and potential goods movement priority features extending from Highway 400 (between Kirby Road and King-Vaughan Road) in the east to the Highway 401/407 ETR interchange area in the west. The Terms of Reference for this project was approved on March 4, 2008. Since that time, the Ministry of Transportation has been undergoing the development and preparation of the GTA West environmental assessment study.
As part of our efforts to modernize Ontario’s environmental assessment program, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is proposing a regulation to update the existing environmental assessment process for the Ministry of Transportation’s GTA West Transportation Corridor. The proposed regulation would create a new streamlined process for assessing potential environmental impacts of the project, as well as consulting on it.
The new process outlined in the regulation would eliminate duplication while maintaining environmental protection. For example, it would include a requirement to complete field investigations and collect technical information for documentation in the Environmental Conditions report, an Environmental Impact Assessment report, and an Early Works report.
It would also require the Ministry of Transportation to:
- continue public and stakeholder consultation;
- submit an Indigenous Consultation Plan to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks;
- undergo an addendum process for potential project changes;
- develop an issues resolution process that would be administered by the Ministry of Transportation; and
- allow the Ministry of Transportation to apply for and obtain permits and approvals required for construction, subject to consultation or other requirements associated with those processes and meeting the requirements set out in the regulation.
Learn more about this proposed regulation on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
Working smarter to protect our environment and serve our communities
The proposed regulation for a streamlined environmental assessment process for the Ministry of Transportation’s GTA West Transportation Corridor project builds on our vision for a modern environmental assessment program. It does this by eliminating duplication with other planning and approvals processes and as a result, shortening timelines for building important infrastructure for Ontario communities. It allows us to work smarter while remaining committed to consulting with communities and protecting our environment.
Ontario is currently consulting on these sensible and practical proposed changes to ensure strong environmental oversight while reducing delays and focusing resources on projects that matter most to Ontario communities.
Terms of reference
Background
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is working to provide for the efficient movement of people and goods within the context of the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006). To support the policy directions in the Growth Plan, MTO is proposing to study better linkages between Urban Growth Centres within the GTA West Corridor Preliminary Study Area. The focus will be to identify and support a transportation network that links Urban Growth Centres through an integrated system of transportation modes characterized by efficient public transit, a highway system for moving people and goods, with good access to inter-modal facilities, airports and transit hubs.
Study area
The MTO will consider transportation system alternatives within a Preliminary Study Area generally bounded by Highway 400 to the east, Highway 401 to the south, Highway 6 to the west and the Oak Ridges Moraine to the north. However, the study will also analyze travel demand and examine transportation linkages and gateways outside this Preliminary Study Area that may have an influence on the travel demand and traffic patterns in the GTA West Corridor. The Preliminary Study may be refined as the study progresses to better reflect area conditions (both transportation issues and environmental context).