Newsmakers 2022: Bill Foster has been Bradford Bypass' most vocal opponent

'This guy promised to protect the Greenbelt': Foster has been fighting bid to build bypass since '90s

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 12, 2023
Simon Martin

Development comes in many shapes and sizes. But few are impacted by development quite like East Gwillimbury resident Bill Foster.

The longtime resident of Holland Landing for 32 years was one of the loudest voices this year as opposition to the Bradford Bypass and Hwy. 413 grew around the GTA. That opposition reached a fevered pitch when the Doug Ford government pushed through Bill 23 allowing portions of the Greenbelt to be opened up for development, as well as reducing development charges that could be administered by municipalities.

On a rainy Sunday in November, Foster was out with a red umbrella at the Grist Mill Plaza in Holland Landing doing what he has done for much of the past few years: protest the action being taken by the provincial government.

“This is a congregation of a whole pile of people with different causes because they all looked at what’s happening with the Ford government and they are totally -- excuse the expression -- pissed off,” Foster said. “We’re seeing these things happen practically ever other day all over the province.”

The large groups protesting late in the fall were a reaction to several dictatorial type moves from the Ford government, Foster said.

“I was blown away by it. I mean we’re supposed to be in a democracy even though very few people voted for him. He’s taking it as if he’s got a licence to do whatever he wants. It’s autocratic as hell. This is just wrong” he said. “I was not surprised. I watched this guy do whatever the hell he wants. And if for whatever reason the law gets in the way, he just changes the law.”

Foster started Forbid Roads Over Green Spaces (FROGS) in the '90s to fight the Bradford Bypass. He moved to his property, next to Silver Lakes Golf and Country Club, three years before the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the bypass started in 1993. Foster has been part of a group that has challenged the federal government’s decision not to grant an impact assessment for the Bradford Bypass.

The first request was made in February 2021 to the federal minister via a letter and was supported by 20 local residents and environmental organizations. Petitions opposing the project received 18,000 signatures. This request was denied. The second request, which was also denied, was made in November 2021.

Shortly after, Foster and a group of NGOs took their case to federal court. In November the province announced the construction of the Bradford Bypass was officially underway.

Foster said the province is building the highway on outdated information and with a plan that was created based "on a totally different legislative environment."

What the NGOs -- represented by Ecojustice -- want is this, Foster said: "An impact assessment, to start from scratch as things have changed dramatically. Let's look at the environment and see how we go from there.

"What blows my mind is that we already have serious problems with Lake Simcoe and the quality of water. (The fish) will be seriously harmed and will not be useful for human use," Foster said. "An impact assessment will allow you to independently take a fresh look at what the answer is, and that's all we want."

When Foster started speaking out on the Bradford Bypass a few years back, he was one of the few. But he feels the opposition to the project is growing and people are becoming more aware of what the Ford government is doing.

“It sure is an indication that the general public is watching what is happening and saying this not what we voted for. This is not what we expected. This guy promised to protect the Greenbelt,” he said.