|
Background
Planning studies conducted in the
1950's and 1960's indicated a need for an east-west transportation
corridor north of Toronto, connecting Highway 401 in Milton
to Highway 35/115 in Clarington. The central section, the
current Highway 407, was constructed in the 1990s. Highway
407 today extends from the QEW/Highway 403 interchange in
Burlington to Brock Road in Pickering.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) initiated
Environmental Assessment (EA) studies in the early 1990's
that developed a technically preferred route for the extension
of Highway 407 from Brock Road to Clarington. However, these
studies were not submitted to the Minister of Environment
for approval and currently have no status.
In 2002, in accordance with new legislation,
MTO commenced a new individual EA study for 407 East. Under
the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act
(OEAA), an EA Terms of Reference (ToR) was completed as the
first step in the preparation of the individual EA. The ToR
was approved by the Minister of Environment on January 17,
2005.
The ToR document sets out the proposed
work plan for the preparation of the EA Report and provides
appropriate commitments to consultation, process and technical
requirements during the EA study, including:
- A plan to address the legislated
requirements of the OEAA and Canadian Environmental Assessment
Act (CEAA);
- A preliminary identification of
future transportation problems and opportunities and an
outline of the process to establish need by re-examining
problems and opportunities during the individual EA;
- An outline of the process for
determining the individual EA study area;
- An outline of the process to identify,
assess and evaluate alternatives to be considered
- The consultation plan to be followed
during the preparation of the EA; and
- A framework for the preparation
and review of the individual EA.
Historical
Overview Report
|
