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THE CLOCK IS TICKING

How to ensure federal intervention on Highway 413 in the next three months

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Land Acknowledgement

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www.native-land.ca

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Speakers

Phil Pothen, J.D., M.L.A.

Counsel & Ontario Environment Program Manager�Land Use & Land Davelopment Program Manager

Environmental Defence

Jeannine d'Entremont

Member�Halton Hills Climate Action

Tim Gray

Executive Director�Environmental Defence

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Agenda

  1. Review the timeline of the Impact �Assessment changes for Highway 413

Highway 413 Q&A�

  • Review of Bill 212: Enhancing Gridlock

Bill 212 Q&A�

  • Local activism to stop Highway 413

Activism Q&A

Closing Remarks

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Review the timeline �of the Impact

Assessment changes for Highway 413

Tim Gray

Executive Director�Environmental Defence

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Highway 413 �Federal Impact Assessment

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Key takeaways: Highway 413 �Federal Impact Assessment

  • The federal government has clear authority and jurisdiction to designate the 413 for Impact Assessment
  • Multiple federally protected values are threatened along the Highway
  • An Assessment would be popular with GTHA residents
  • A decision must be made by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change by January 19,2025
  • The Minister needs the support of Ontario MPs.

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Q & A

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Type your questions in the CHAT section now.

�Our staff will compile similar questions and then pass them on to the presenters.

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Review of Bill 212:�Enhancing Gridlock

Phil Pothen, J.D., M.L.A.

Counsel, Ontario Environment Program Manager

Land Use & Land Development Program Manager

Environmental Defence

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Bill 212 &

Impact Assessment of Highway 413

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  1. Kneecap clean transportation - & 1000s of homes
  2. Effectively carve 413 route out of the Greenbelt

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  • Exempt 413 from Ontario Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Render indigenous nations consultation meaningless
  • Conceal wildlife, natural & cultural heritage impacts

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Bill 212 - Schedule 4: Blocking Clean Transportation & Mid-Rise Housing

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  • Schedule 4, ss. 195.2: (1) bike lanes illegal wo provincial consent unless no re-allocation from cars & (5) “review” of existing lanes
  • No evidence or staff support for claims this would help congestion
  • Would endanger delivery and service workers and obstruct goods
  • Would block many thousands of homes: legalizemidrise.ca
    • no capacity to build enough homes if parking included
    • viability of family mid-rise dev often depends on active transp

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Bill 212 - Schedule 4: Blocking Clean Transportation & Mid-Rise Housing

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  • Schedule 4, ss. 195.2: (1) bike lanes illegal wo provincial consent unless no re-allocation from cars & (5) “review” of existing lanes
  • No evidence or staff support for claims this would help congestion
  • Would endanger delivery and service workers and obstruct goods
  • Would block many thousands of homes: legalizemidrise.ca
    • no capacity to build enough homes if parking included
    • viability of family mid-rise dev often depends on active transp

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Bill 212 - Sched 3, ss. 12(1)

Effective Greenbelt Carveout

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  • Effectively carves 413 route out of the Greenbelt
  • Highway 413 does not need to conform with the Greenbelt Plan
    • no more duty to avoid heritage features unless “no reasonable alternative”.
    • no more duty to choose location & design to minimizes NHS, water, crossings & coverage, minimize salt impact
  • Implicit admission proposed route is more damaging than available alternatives

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Bill 212 Boosts Case for Federal Impact Assessment

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  • Renders provincial consultation with indigenous nations meaningless

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  • Conceals wildlife, natural & cultural heritage impacts from public

​

  • Cancelling Ont. Environmental Impact Assessment

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Bill 212 - Sched 3, ss. 2(1)

Cancel the Provincial Environmental Assessment

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  • Canada cannot claim to be relying on Provincial Impact Assessment to address federal matters.
  • “The following are exempt from the Environmental Assessment Act: 1. The Highway 413 Project, including any change to the Highway 413 Project. 2. The Highway 413 early works projects. etc…”
  • Potemkin process not equivalent - and excludes (because of early works exemption) comparison against alternatives most likely to minimize federal impacts:
    • not building a highway in this area at all (relying on 407 subsidies, etc. instead)
    • changing the specific route of the highway to minimize impact

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CBC

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Bill 212 - Sched 3, ss. 3(3)

Render Indigenous Consultation Meaningless

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  • Canada can’t rely on province to discharge Duty to Consult
  • Meaningful consultation makes decision about route, and whether to proceed at all, conditional on free, prior, informed consent of IN
  • Allow 413 “early works” before section 4 to 9, which include indigenous consultation are completed.
  • May be intended to “break up” project & narrow scope of federal IA

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Bill 212 - Sched 3, ss. 6(4), s. 13

Hide wildlife, natural & cultural heritage impacts

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  • Canada cannot rely on Bill 212 assessments to disclose information required for Endangered Species, Navigable Waters, permits or protection of indigenous sites.
  • Any studies of “environmental conditions” “assessment of impacts”, mitigation to be secret where “in the opinion of the Minister [they] contain information about sensitive natural or cultural heritage matters.”
  • Any changes to 413 proposal exempt from Environmental Bill of Rights

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Q & A

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Type your questions in the CHAT section now.

�Our staff will compile similar questions and then pass them on to the presenters.

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Local Activism to �Stop Highway 413

Jeannine d'Entremont

Trillium Team Co-Lead�Halton Hills Climate Action

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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Last December, Halton Hills Town Council voted 9 – 2 against a second gas-fired power plant in �our community.

Several hundred people signed a letter to council and 12 Halton Hills Climate Action members and supporters delegated at a council meeting, including local high school student, Matthew Tyhurst.

The victory was covered by national media outlets.

It doesn’t take an army of people to make change.

A WIN ON GAS PLANT EXPANSION

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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  • Met with Milton Liberal MP, Adam Van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to Environment and Climate Change Minister, Stephen Guilbeault and discussed our concerns about the highway.

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  • Zoom meeting with Wellington Halton Hills MPP, Ted Arnott, who suggested we write letters and start a petition.

WHAT WE’VE DONE

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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LAUNCHED STOP THE 413 PETITION

Collected signatures at numerous events throughout the summer and fall.

  • Canada Day in the Glen
  • Farmers’ Markets
  • Go Green Halton Hills
  • Eco Fest
  • Seniors for Climate National Day of Action – Oct. 1
  • Stop 413 East End Toronto collected over 500 signatures!

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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FARMERS’ MARKET AND OPEN HOUSE

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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SENIORS FOR CLIMATE RALLY & ECOFAIR

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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JANE FOGAL SPEAKING AT ECOFAIR

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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  • Collected more than 1200 signatures on our petition!
  • Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner presented the petition in the legislature on Nov. 1
  • Let folks know it’s not a done deal
  • Talked to hundreds of people about better alternatives to Hwy 413
  • Distributed postcards to be sent to MPs to protect species at risk

🎉 OUR RESULTS 🎉

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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STOP THE 413 PETITION PRESENTED NOV. 1

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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  • HHCA drafted a letter to the Environment Minister, cc’d to the Prime Minister, other relevant Ministers and the President of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada outlining our concerns about Bill C212 and Hwy 413 and asking that the project be redesignated for a federal impact assessment.
  • The letter was signed by 9 other organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation.
  • Sent on Nov. 11 – awaiting a response.

LETTER TO MINISTER STEVEN GUILBEAULT

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Local Stop Hwy 413 Activism

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  • Call your MP and MPP and let them know you are opposed to Hwy 413
  • Send an email briefly stating your concerns about the project and why it matters to you
  • Set up a meeting with your MP and/or MPP
  • Rally on November 22 in Orangeville and Milton

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

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Q & A

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Type your questions in the CHAT section now.

�Our staff will compile similar questions and then pass them on to the presenters.

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Take Action Today

1. Call Your MP

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2. Get postcards for friends and neighbours

3. Attend a rally

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Call tonight and leave a message or watch for our calling tool in the follow-up email.

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Send your mailing address and # of postcards required to engagement@environmentaldefence.ca

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THANK �YOU

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