There are new calls for Ontario to cancel the proposed Highway 413

BlogTo.com
Oct. 11, 2023

Highway 413 in Ontario is in the news again after an environmental organization alarmed over the massive loss of fish, wildlife and land  launched a petition against the infrastructure project.

Environment Defence's Stop Highway 413 campaign calls for people to take action by signing a letter addressed to the Premier's Office and the Ministry of Transportation.

"Thousands of people have signed the petition," Tim Gray, executive director of Environment Defence told blogTO.

"I think what happened with the Greenbelt, it really woke people
up to misinformation the Doug Ford government has put out over the last year in particular."

Gray is glad the government reversed its plans to swap land out of the Greenbelt for development, but now wants the province to scrap its controversial Highway 413 plans.

The project was proposed to connect drivers from Milton to Vaughan as an alternative route to Highway 401.

"We're going to lose directly about 2000 acres of farmland," said Gray.

"This is paved over by the highway itself, never mind the stuff all around it. About 400 acres of that will be in the Greenbelt. The most ecologically sensitive remaining forestland in Vaughan has been targeted by that highway route."

One person on X (formerly Twitter) suggests the government open the 407 toll highway for commuters.

Environment Defence is a non-partisan group dedicated to working with government, industry and individuals to protect clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

The group states the highway would add 17 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It is also a threat to 29 federally identified species at risk.

Gray believes the province plans to construct the highway for their own intentions, to open land for single-family homes, warehouses and big box retailers.

"A lot of these lands are owned by the big development companies that are showed to be close to the provincial government and Greenbelt scandal," said Gray.

The group also calls for people to contact their local members of parliament to say don't pave the Greenbelt.

blogTO contacted the Ministry of Transportation with questions on several occasions. It did not get back with answers in time for publishing.