EA Process

This project is following the Environmental Assessment process for a Group ‘B’ project in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000), with the opportunity for public input throughout the project.

To facilitate public involvement, a Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on January 24, 2024, to present findings and provide interested persons with an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Detail Design. A notice providing the time and location of the PIC can be found here.

Following the PIC, digital copies of the PIC display materials have been posted on this project website. You are encouraged to review the PIC materials and provide any comments or questions to the Project Team by visiting the Contact section of this website and submitting your feedback by February 7, 2024.

Upon completion, a Design and Construction Report (DCR) will be prepared to document the Class EA process followed, including a description of the Recommended Plan, potential environmental effects and a mitigation plan. The DCR will be filed for a 30-day comment period. At that time, notices will be published in a local newspaper, letters will be circulated to the study contact list and the project website will be updated to explain the review process and how the DCR can be reviewed.

The DCR will document:

  • Study objectives;
  • Consultation with external stakeholders, the public and Indigenous communities;
  • Updates to the existing environmental conditions documented in the Preliminary Design and TESR Addendum, as required, and a summary of additional Detail Design investigations undertaken;
  • Proposed modifications to the Recommended Plan documented in the Preliminary Design and TESR Addendum;
  • A description of the Detail Design Recommended Plan, including construction and traffic staging
  • A description of the associated environmental protection/mitigation measures included in the contract package;
  • A Summary of Environmental Concerns and Commitments;
  • Identification of all project approvals, licenses and permits which have been or must be obtained; and
  • Further commitments to be addressed during construction.

In accordance with the MTO Class EA, there is no ‘bump-up’ opportunity (i.e., opportunity to make a Section 16 Order request to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks) for the DCR. However, interested persons are encouraged to review and comment on the DCR. If there are no outstanding concerns after the 30-day review period has expired, further documentation will not be prepared and construction may commence without further notice.