Ontario wants to build the 413

In light of a recent opinion released by the Supreme Court of Canada, the Attorney General of Ontario, Doug Downey, is asking the federal government to clarify its position regarding Highway 413, a proposed 52-kilometre roadway that would connect the regions of York, Peel and Halton.

“Following the federal government’s decision that it is not conducting an impact assessment of Ontario Place under its unconstitutional Impact Assessment Act, I am urging them to similarly get out of the way so that our government can get shovels in the ground on Highway 413,” said Downey in an officially released statement.

“Until the federal government provides the certainty we need by acknowledging that its unconstitutional legislation doesn’t apply to this vital infrastructure project, Ontario will continue to move forward with our judicial review of Highway 413. As we do, we will also continue to follow our world-leading environmental assessment processes and respect our duty to consult obligations.”

On October 13, the Supreme Court of Canada released an opinion that held that the vast majority of the federal government’s duplicative Impact Assessment Act was unconstitutional.

“As Ontario continues to grow at unprecedented speed, we need to build the infrastructure required to keep pace with our historic growth. It has never been more important to build roads, bridges, highways and public transit to connect our communities and tackle gridlock,” added the attorney general. “Now is the time for the federal government to work with provinces to move critical projects forward, including Highway 413, so we can continue to build a stronger and more connected Ontario.”

www.ontario.ca