What does Upper York sewage project's cancellation mean for East Gwillimbury?

The Chippewas of Georgina Island opposed the project that would have seen a new sewage facility in Queensville send effluent into Lake Simcoe

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 8, 2022
Simon Martin

The long talked about sewage plant in East Gwillimbury finally appears dead after more than a decade of planning and consultation. Long story short, after York Region submitted an environmental assessment in 2014, approval for the project languished at Queen’s Park for about eight years as the Liberals dragged their feet on making a decision. Then last year the Conservatives put the brakes on and appointed an expert panel.

On Oct. 25, the day after the municipal election, the panel recommended wastewater from the three communities should instead go to the Duffin Creek sewage treatment plant on Lake Ontario in Pickering as the more environmentally sound and less expensive option.

“I’m very hopeful that there’s going to be some solutions found and for East Gwillimbury in particular and all the other municipalities that are shy of having the ability to continue with some of the subdivisions in their plans,” East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson said.

The mayor wants the Holland Landing Sewage Lagoons shuttered as soon as possible. The lagoons had remained open as bureaucratic necessity for building the new sewage plant in Queensville, which is no longer needed.

York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey said the lagoons in Holland Landing are still treating wastewater. “York Region advanced the environmental assessment to replace the lagoons with more appropriate treatment for these growing communities years ago, and has acknowledged the need to decommission the lagoons once a longer-term solution is available,” he said. “We are encouraged by the province making a decision, but will need their continued support to deliver it in a timely way.”

Brandon Stiles described the announcement as somewhat bittersweet. The environmental co-ordinator for the Chippewas of Georgina Island, said they obviously were worried about the effects the Upper York Sewage Solutions (UYSS) would have on Lake Simcoe and are pleased it isn’t moving forward, but said he would like to see an environmental assessment done for the Duffin’s Creek expansion.

Stiles also said the Chippewas of Georgina Island were left frustrated with the consultation process with the expert panel. “They were not prepared to share any of the recommendations with us. We were a little disappointed in that engagement session. We were still shrouded in secrecy,” he said.

With no environmental assessment planned for the new Duffin’s Creek solution, Stiles says the government continues to botch its duty to consult. “I don’t think they have learned their lesson at all,” he said. “We are going to push for an environmental assessment.”

Determining where wastewater goes is required before allowing growth because development can’t take place if people can’t flush their toilets, take a bath or shower, use their washing machines, and clean their dirty dishes in their dishwashers or kitchen sinks.

It was a formal Liberal government that told York Region to find a local solution within the Lake Simcoe watershed to handle future growth for Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury.

The region embarked on plans for the UYSS on Lake Simcoe to handle 153,000 future residents and employees in the three communities.

It spent $100 million -- from development charges, the fees on new homes and buildings -- toward the project, which would have seen the region become the first municipality in Canada to adopt leading-edge microfiltration and reverse-osmosis wastewater treatment technology to turn wastewater into purified, clean water.

However, the Chippewas of Georgina and others raised concerns about the impact of the facility on Lake Simcoe.

On the same day, the province introduced the More Homes Built Faster Act to pave the way for 151,000 new homes to be built by 2031. Critics warn the legislation could see the province steamroll over local planning decisions.

The region is still reviewing the implications of the UYSS decision, Casey said.

“Staff will need to meet with our partners, both the province and Durham Region, to learn more about this new approach and any impacts on the work already complete,” he said.

“This will help to formulate required next steps. Future updates will be shared when information is known and confirmed.”