This Study is following the approved planning process for a Group ‘B’ project in accordance with the MTO Class EA for Provincial Transportation Facilities and Municipal Expressways, 2024(Class EA). The Project Team will complete environmental and engineering field investigations and seek input from individuals, organizations, and Indigenous communities. The Project Team will also develop and evaluate alternative methods of carrying out the Project and outline environmental protection/mitigation measures. Two (2) Public Information Centres are planned at key milestones to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to view project materials and provide comments. Notices will also be sent to the project mailing list to provide individuals, organizations and Indigenous communities with the opportunity to learn about the project, view project materials and provide comments.
At the end of the Study, the Project Team will prepare a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) that describes how the requirements of the Class EA were met; how the Project achieves the greatest overall transportation benefit while minimizing environmental impacts; other key decisions; consultation with individuals, organizations, and Indigenous communities; and commitments for consultation and environmental protection. The Project Team will issue a Notice of Completion, at which point there will be a 30-day comment period allowing for an opportunity to provide comments on the TESR. The Project Team will include comments received, responses to the comments and any supporting materials in a record of consultation.
There is an opportunity at any time during the study for interested persons to provide input to the Project Team including comments and information regarding the study. Comments are being collected to assist Ministry of Transportation with the preliminary design and to meet the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. This material will be maintained on file for use during the study and may be included in study documentation. Information collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. If you have any accessibility requirements in order to participate in this project, please contact a member of the Project Team through the “Contact Us” section of the website.
Ontario Environmental Assessment Act - Ministry of Transportation Class Environmental Assessment Process
The purpose of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act is to help protect and conserve Ontario's environment by ensuring that projects subject to the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act follow a planning process leading to environmentally sound decision-making.
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities and Municipal Expressways (2024) outlines the Environmental Assessment process to be followed for specific groups of provincial transportation projects. The Class Environmental Assessment is approved under the Act and provides a streamlined process which projects or activities within a defined “class” must follow. Provided that this process is followed, projects and activities included under the Class Environmental Assessment does not require formal review and approval under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.
Project groupings within the Class Environmental Assessment have been established as follows:
Group "A"
Projects are new provincial transportation facilities and highway/freeway realignments and new municipal expressway facilities and municipal expressway realignments
Group "B"
Projects modify access or add capacity to existing provincial transportation facilities or municipal expressways, and new service/maintenance/operations facilities
Group "C"
Projects are improvements to existing transportation facilities or municipal expressway facilities
Group "D"
Projects are the operation maintenance, administration and miscellaneous work for provincial transportation facilities. These projects have no requirements under the Class Environmental Assessment because they are exempt
For projects subject to the Class Environmental Assessment, an environmental assessment involves identifying and planning for environmental issues and effects prior to implementing a project. The process allows reasonable opportunities for public involvement in the decision-making process of the project.
Other aspects of the environmental assessment process applicable to these project types are contained in the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities and Municipal Expressways (2024). Readers interested in these matters are encouraged to refer to that document.
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