Rallies held across GTA opposing Hwy. 413, Bradford Bypass

Citynews.ca
Nov. 15, 2021
Michael Ranger

Community groups gathered across the Greater Toronto Area on Saturday to protest two new proposed highways.

Environmental Defence organized a series of rallies for concerned residents, saying the proposed Highway 413 and Bradford Bypass will destroy farmlands and sections of the protected Greenbelt.

The ‘Day of Action’ protests to demand “Greenbelt not asphalt,” were held in Mississauga, Bolton, King City and Holland Landing on Saturday afternoon.

The group says the proposed highways will create a number of environmental issues, including paving through farms, forests, wetlans, 400 acres of the Greenbelt and the Holland Wetland marsh. They also say the new routes will add at least 17 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and cost Ontario taxpayers upwards of $12 billion.

“Communities along the proposed route for the 413 and Bradford Bypass are saying “no” to paving over their natural environments,” said Environmental Defence programs director, Keith Brooks. “These highways will not help with congestion, but they will cause irreversible damage to our environment and climate.”

Several of the rallies were held in proximity to local officials offices. The event in Holland Landing was held outside Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney’s office, while the King City rally was near MPP and Education Minister Stephen Lecce’s office.

The rally at Celebration Square in Mississauga was followed by a bike ride to MPP Kaleed Rasheed’s office.

“The inconvenient truth is that highways are a heavy burden of cost, pollution, sprawl and more time spent in cars, not less,” said Rahul Mehta, founder of Sustainable Mississauga. “As we face our reality and work towards a more sustainable way to live, move, work and play, residents of Mississauga stand in solidarity with communities threatened directly and downstream from these highway proposals.”

Earlier this week, the Ford government made a commitment to fully fund the two new corridors. On Wednesday, the premier insisted the new highways would benefit residents and the economy.

“In addition to reducing time on the road for drivers, including those taking goods to market, the highway will link growing regions, provide better connections to housing and jobs, and attract increased investment in auto manufacturing and other industries,” Ford said.

Highway 413 will extend from Highway 400 in the east to the Highway 401/407 express toll route (ETR) in the west, connecting Halton, Peel and York regions. The proposed Bradford Bypass is a 16.2-kilometer highway, which would link Hwy. 400 to Hwy. 404 in Simcoe Country and York Region.

Environmental Defence is a Canadian advocacy organization that works with officials to defend clean water, climate and healthy communities.