EA Process
This project is following the approved environmental planning process for Group ‘B’ projects under the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000), with the opportunity for public input throughout the project.
An online Public Information Centre (PIC) will be held to present findings and provide interested persons with an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Detail Design. A notice will be published in local newspapers and on the project website.
Upon completion of the Detail Design study, a Design and Construction Report (DCR) will be prepared and filed for a 30-day public review period. The DCR will document the Class EA process followed, including a description of the Recommended Plan, potential environmental effects and the final mitigation plan. At that time, a Notice of DCR Submission will be published in local newspapers to explain the review process and identify locations where the DCR can be reviewed in hard copy. The DCR will also be available online.
The DCR will document:
In accordance with the MTO Class EA, there is no ‘bump-up’ opportunity (i.e. opportunity to make a Part II order request to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks) for the DCR. However, interested persons are encouraged to review and comment on the DCR. If there are no outstanding concerns after the 30-day review period has expired, further documentation will not be prepared and construction may commence without further notice.
At this time, both Detail Design studies are proceeding on a concurrent schedule. To streamline the consultation process, a single PIC will be held and a single DCR will be prepared if the schedules for both projects remain aligned. Should the schedules change, the need for separate PICs (in-person and / or online) and separate DCRs will be assessed and an update will be provided on this website and sent to the project contact list to notify interested parties of any changes.
An online Public Information Centre (PIC) will be held to present findings and provide interested persons with an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Detail Design. A notice will be published in local newspapers and on the project website.
Upon completion of the Detail Design study, a Design and Construction Report (DCR) will be prepared and filed for a 30-day public review period. The DCR will document the Class EA process followed, including a description of the Recommended Plan, potential environmental effects and the final mitigation plan. At that time, a Notice of DCR Submission will be published in local newspapers to explain the review process and identify locations where the DCR can be reviewed in hard copy. The DCR will also be available online.
The DCR will document:
- Study objectives;
- Consultation with external stakeholders, the public and Indigenous communities;
- Updates to the existing environmental conditions documented in Preliminary Design, as required, and a summary of additional Detail Design investigations undertaken;
- Proposed modifications to the Recommended Plan documented in the Preliminary Design;
- A description of the Detail Design Recommended Plan, including highway and structural design, landscaping, and Context Sensitive Design (CSD) implementation;
- A description of the environmental impacts and associated mitigation measures;
- A Summary of Environmental Concerns and Commitments;
- Identification of all project approvals, licenses and permits which have been or must be obtained; and
- Further commitments to be addressed during construction.
In accordance with the MTO Class EA, there is no ‘bump-up’ opportunity (i.e. opportunity to make a Part II order request to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks) for the DCR. However, interested persons are encouraged to review and comment on the DCR. If there are no outstanding concerns after the 30-day review period has expired, further documentation will not be prepared and construction may commence without further notice.
At this time, both Detail Design studies are proceeding on a concurrent schedule. To streamline the consultation process, a single PIC will be held and a single DCR will be prepared if the schedules for both projects remain aligned. Should the schedules change, the need for separate PICs (in-person and / or online) and separate DCRs will be assessed and an update will be provided on this website and sent to the project contact list to notify interested parties of any changes.