Development in York Region made headlines this year

#2021NEWSMAKER: Bradford Bypass, Hwy. 413, Greenbelt among the biggest development issues

Thestar.com
Jan. 4, 2022
Simone Joseph

Development was undeniably a newsmaker in 2021. Among the biggest issues: the Bradford Bypass, Hwy. 413 and the Greenbelt.

THE BRADFORD BYPASS

There are numerous concerns about this proposed project to connect Highway 400 to Highway 404. Some residents and environmental groups don't want it built. "Building highways is a bad use of natural resources. It takes away farmland and adds to pollution," said Margaret Prophet, executive director of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition. East Gwillimbury's council voiced support but had concerns with the design. Transportation Minister and York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney had praise at a meeting May 5. "The east-west connection will reduce congestion and provide a strategic link for goods and people’s movement, supporting urban and economic growth in the York and Simcoe region,” Mulroney said.

The bypass was approved 24 years ago at a time when the Greenbelt plan didn't exist, said environmental activist Irene Ford. “Climate change was not part of the conversation. It had three public consultation sessions done in the mid 1990s ... So I don't know how anyone can actually say that there was consultation on this.”

Ford went on to say: “I really think that, you know, there shouldn't have been such blindness to the loss of process and due diligence around the bypass just because it's been around since the 1970s doesn't mean that they should go ahead by any means necessary.”

HIGHWAY 413

First suggested about 15 years ago, Highway 413, was killed in 2018 by the Wynne government. A year later, when Doug Ford became premier, the idea was reintroduced. The area northwest of Toronto (including parts of York, Peel and Halton regions) is experiencing major increases in population and employment. But disapproval of the highway has spread. On March 10, 2021, Vaughan councillors withdrew their endorsement for Highway 413. Vaughan councillors approved Coun. Marilyn Iafrate's motion March 10, calling for a federal environmental assessment of the proposed highway. York Region council voted March 18 against a motion to rescind its support of Hwy 413. At the end of February, Mississauga announced it had passed a motion opposing Highway 413. Orangeville and Halton Hills have also announced a similar position. The Ontario government revealed a plan to fast-track the environmental assessment for the highway. “Gridlock hurts our economy, quality of life, and environment,” said Stephen Lecce, MPP for King-Vaughan, in a statement.

GREENBELT

Vaughan councillor Marilyn Iafrate is also concerned that Hwy. 413 will have a huge environmental impact on the Greenbelt. A portion of this road and crossing is going across an area called the National Conservation Reserve, she said.

Irene Ford says she is concerned about the impact of both the proposed Highway 413 and the bypass.

“Both of them are going to open up a lot of farmland and kind of bleed onto the Greenbelt and end up enabling really expensive sprawl and development.”