Ontario, Ottawa Strike Deal to Move Ahead With Highway 413

Ontario and Ottawa Come to Agreement to Proceed with Construction of Highway 413

April 17, 2024 TruthUSA

Ontario and Ottawa have come to an agreement to move forward with the province’s Highway 413 project after accusations of federal overreach.

The announcement marks the end of a longstanding dispute between the Ford and Trudeau administrations that had halted progress on the proposed 52-kilometre highway between Milton and Vaughan.

“In the upcoming months, we will proceed with procurement to initiate construction on key interchanges of the project, bringing us closer to its completion,” stated provincial Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria in an April 15 press release.

On April 15, the province and Ottawa signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint working group aimed at mitigating environmental impacts in areas under federal jurisdiction. At the joint request of both governments, the Federal Court has set aside the Highway 413 project’s designation under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA).

Under the Impact Assessment Act process, Ontario required federal approval to commence construction unless the federal government was satisfied with the provincial plan to protect endangered species.

The province accused the Liberal government of overstepping boundaries when it subjected the highway project to federal review under the act, prompting Ontario to seek an injunction to prevent Ottawa from applying the legislation to Highway 413.

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In a ruling last fall, the Supreme Court of Canada declared parts of the Impact Assessment Act unconstitutional, stating that it could allow the federal government to make decisions on projects within provincial jurisdiction.

Supreme Court Justice Malcolm Rowe criticized Ottawa for stalling projects like Highway 413 due to its position on climate change.

He remarked that the IAA was impeding progress on the highway “ostensibly because of a frog” it threatens, but in reality, it’s “because we should not be driving cars.”

Highway 413 aims to connect York, Peel, and Halton regions and has been promoted by the province as a means to enhance public transportation.

However, not everyone supports the proposed project. Some environmental organizations believe it could lead to urban sprawl into protected areas, destroy prime farmland in Southern Ontario, and harm endangered frog and fish species.

Ontario Greens Deputy Leader Aislinn Clancy has labeled the project as an “environmental disaster” and has pledged to halt it permanently.

Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault stated that this week’s agreement will uphold the protection of endangered species.

“This agreement demonstrates the ability of Canada and Ontario to collaborate while respecting their shared responsibilities regarding environmental matters,” Mr. Guilbeault mentioned, adding that the agreement provides Ontario with “clearer guidelines on the review process for the Highway 413 Project.”

Mr. Sarkaria described the project as a solution to address the traffic congestion resulting from “unprecedented” population growth.

“I appreciate the federal government for engaging with us and cooperating on the necessary environmental protections to start the project,” he remarked. “It’s crucial now more than ever to develop roads, bridges, and highways that motorists depend on.”

The Canadian Press and Tara MacIsaac contributed to this report.

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