FAQ

1. What is the focus of the current round of consultation?

The focus of the fourth round of Public Information Centres (PIC #4) is to:

• Provide the evaluation results of the various transportation alternatives considered;
• Present the key elements of a draft multi-modal Transportation Development Strategy; and
• Seek public input on the evaluation and the draft Transportation Development Strategy.

2. What is the link between this study and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe?

In June 2006, the Province released the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) which sets out the vision and policy direction for managing growth in the region. The Growth Plan informs infrastructure priorities in the GGH, including the planning and development of an integrated and efficient transportation system to support a strong economy and high quality of life. The Growth Plan provides that public transit is the first priority for moving people while highway investment is to facilitate efficient goods movement.

The Growth Plan supports improvements to the region's transportation network necessary to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods. Improvements to the transportation network in the GTA West area are contemplated in the Growth Plan. This includes consideration of highway solutions, where consistent with Growth Plan policies.

3. Why was the study initiated and what is the purpose of the study?

The Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) is one of the fastest growing regions in North America. To support economic growth and manage increased transportation demand, improvements to the existing transportation network will be necessary.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has initiated Stage 1 of a formal Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the GTA West Corridor. The purpose of the study is to proactively plan for future infrastructure needs by examining long-term transportation problems and opportunities to the year 2031 and consider options to provide better movement of both people and goods between urban areas in the GTA West Corridor Preliminary Study Area, including designated Urban Growth Centres.

These improvements will be planned and managed in accordance with the Growth Plan for the GGH which recognizes the need to plan for improved transportation corridors and conceptually identifies future transportation corridors in the region.

4. What is the study process and what are the key steps?

The study is being undertaken as an Individual Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act) and the GTA West Corridor Terms of Reference (ToR), which was approved by the Ontario Minister of the Environment on March 4, 2008. The current stage (Stage 1) of the EA Study includes the following key steps:

• Develop an EA Terms of Reference that guides the EA Study;
• Identify transportation problems and opportunities;
• Identify and assess transportation alternatives that address the identified problems and opportunities; and
• Select a preferred transportation alternative(s) and recommend a multi-modal Transportation Development Strategy for the study area.

5. Where is the study at now? What has been accomplished?

The GTA West Corridor Study is at the stage of assessing transportation alternatives that were developed to address the identified problems and opportunities. Since the commencement of the study in January 2007, the following tasks have been completed:

• Development of an Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference - approved by the Minister of Environment on March 4, 2008;
• Development of two draft reports - "Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions", and "Overview of Environmental Conditions and Constraints" - released in July 2008 for public review and comment;
• Development of a draft "Transportation System Problems and Opportunities Report" for public review in July 2009;
• Development of the Draft Area Transportation System Alternatives Report for public review in March 2010;
• Consultation with municipalities and Advisory Groups regarding the elements of the Draft Transportation Development Strategy;
• Evaluation and selection of preferred Group #1 (Optimize Existing Network) and Group #2 (New / Improved Non-Roadway Infrastructure) Alternatives;
• Assessment and evaluation of Group #3 (Widen / Improve Existing Roads) and Group #4 (New Transportation Corridors) Alternatives; and,
• Preparation of the Draft Transportation Development Strategy.

6. What will be the outcome of the EA study and what happens next?

The outcome of Stage 1 of the EA Study will be a Multi-Modal Transportation Development Strategy:

• Recommendations for initiatives such as transit or rail will be presented to the relevant authority, such as Metrolinx/GO Transit, municipalities or railway companies.
• For the recommended new transportation corridor, a subsequent stage of the EA (Stage 2 - Route Location EA) would have to be initiated to determine the preferred alignment and right-of-way requirement.

7. What is the relationship between the Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the GTA West Corridor Study?

Released in November 2008, Metrolinx’s RTP, also called "The Big Move", sets out a long range transportation plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area that integrates new and existing local transit and regional transit. It also supports intensified development in key nodes and transit corridors in support of the Growth Plan.

The GTA West Corridor Study builds on the Metrolinx RTP, the GO 2020 Strategic Plan and other provincial and municipal transit initiatives. The travel demand forecasting work that is included in the GTA West Study also incorporates the assumptions made in both the RTP and the component RTP projects. This is key for the development of transportation alternatives (road, rail, etc).

8. Why is a Highway Based Solution Needed - Why can't we just expand transit initiatives and improve other modes of transportation?

Notwithstanding the positive improvements mentioned above, by the year 2031, roadway congestion will still exist and additional highway capacity will be necessary to meet the future transportation needs.

The Project Team has developed alternatives to address the identified transportation system deficiencies including rail, transit, marine, and air as well as Transportation Demand Management, Transportation System Management initiatives, and transit improvements beyond that identified by Metrolinx and GO Transit.

Our analysis has identified that additional roadway capacity will be required to realize the vision of a more efficient transportation network that provides user choices and balance. As outlined in the draft Transportation Development Strategy (presented at PIC #4), this includes a combination of strategic widening of existing highways and protecting for new transportation corridors.

9. What other things is the Government of Ontario doing to address congestion?

By 2031 the population in the Greater Golden Horseshoe is expected to increase by almost 4 million people. To accommodate this growth, the government is committed to:

• Achieving land use intensification targets prescribed in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
• Building urban growth centres with transit supportive densities and a healthy mix of land uses;
• Fostering the development of compact, vibrant and complete communities in which people will live, work, and play;
• Accommodating an additional 700 million transit trips within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area;
• Fully realizing all current provincial transportation plans (e.g. Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan, GO 2020);
• Supporting a much larger proportion of commuters to switch from single occupant cars to transit and carpools;
• Diverting a significant share of goods transport from long distance trucks to rail, marine, and air; and
• Fully implementing the Group #1 and #2 recommendations along with additional related actions.

10. Will development be frozen in the study area while MTO is examining alternatives as part of the EA study?

While not all development applications are frozen, MTO is working collaboratively with other provincial ministries and municipalities to address immediate development pressures through the following approach:

1. The province and municipalities will work together to identify and refine strategic, critical locations where development pressures exist;
2. The province will request early notification of development applications;
3. The province and municipalities will work in collaboration on the review of applications to determine a strategy for applying various land use control tools on a case-by-case basis; and
4. The province may request deferral of an application, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

11. Why are the Niagara to GTA (NGTA) and GTA West studies conducted as two different studies? Do they share a common study limit? Could corridors identified from the two studies potentially connect?

These studies are separate as their purposes are distinct and separate, and each are intended to address different sets of transportation problems and opportunities. Highway 401 is the common boundary between the two studies. As each study generates and examines options to deal with future transportation demands, it is possible that the recommended solutions/improvements may be connected and/or integrated.

There will be a high level of coordination between these two studies, for example:

• Both studies use the same baseline data (land use, GGH networks), assumptions, and methodology for demand forecasting;
• Both studies apply the same process, factors, and criteria for the generation, assessment and evaluation of alternatives;
• The GTA West Study process allows for the incorporation of any particular alternative considered in the NGTA EA Study, and vice versa; and
• Both studies are managed by the same MTO office and same consultant consortium.

12. Does the Provincial Greenbelt Plan and Niagara Escarpment Plan allow for this?

Under Section 4.2 of the Greenbelt Plan - existing, expanded or new infrastructure is permitted subject to approval under relevant legislation within the Protected Countryside provided that the infrastructure meets one of the following objectives:

• (a) It supports agriculture, recreation and tourism, rural settlement areas, resource use or the rural economic activity that exists and is permitted within the Greenbelt; or
• (b) It serves the significant growth and economic development expected in Southern Ontario beyond the Greenbelt by providing for the appropriate infrastructure connections among urban growth centres and between these centres and Ontario's borders.

The Niagara Escarpment Plan permits essential transportation facilities in the Escarpment Natural Area, where "essential" is defined as "that which is deemed necessary to the public interest after all alternatives have been considered". New and expanded facilities must have the least possible impact on the natural environment and be consistent with the objectives of the Plan.

13. What role will 407 ETR play in the study?

407 ETR forms part of the transportation system through York and Peel Regions and has been considered in the study from the viewpoint of improving the overall transportation network to meet future demand.

14. Is tolling going to be considered in the current stage of the study?

Not at this stage. This study will examine all reasonable alternatives to address the identified transportation problems and opportunities within the GTA West Corridor. Tolling is an implementation issue that may be examined at a later stage in the study if specific new infrastructure is identified as needed.

The Ontario government is committed to considering innovative ways to fund new infrastructure projects, including tolling.

15. Why doesn't the Preliminary Study Area include Kitchener-Waterloo?

The future travel demand and linkage between Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph will be addressed by the proposed new Highway 7, as a controlled-access highway (similar to the current Conestoga Parkway). The Environmental Assessment for the new Highway 7 has been completed and approved by the Ministry of the Environment. The project is now entering detailed design.

Regardless, the travel demand analysis was carried out in a much broader context including the examination of transportation linkages and gateways outside the Preliminary Study Area that may have an influence on the travel demand and traffic patterns in the GTA West Corridor, including Kitchener-Waterloo.

The Region of Waterloo is also represented on the Municipal Advisory Group.

16. What is MTO's Statement of Environmental Values and how is it being considered in the GTA West Corridor Study?

Statements of Environmental Values (SEVs) are a mechanism for ministries to record their commitment to the environment and be accountable for ensuring that the environment is considered in their decision-making.

The Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) Act requires that ministries prepare and consider their SEV wherever decisions that might significantly affect the environment are made. In other words, they must demonstrate 'how the purposes of the EBR will be integrated with other considerations, such as the environment, socio-economic and scientific issues that are part of the decision-making within the Ministry'.

MTO's SEV is available on the Environmental Registry.

The Vision Statement in MTO's SEV calls for the Ministry to be a world leader in moving people and goods safely, efficiently and sustainably to support a globally competitive economy and a high quality of life.

To achieve this Vision, the Ministry is focused on delivering four key priorities as identified in its SEV:

1. Increase transit ridership.
2. Promote a multi-modal transportation network to support the efficient movement of people and goods.
3. Promote road safety in order to remain among the safest jurisdictions in North America.
4. Improve Ontario's highway, bridge and border infrastructure.

These priorities and MTO's SEV will be considered throughout all phases of the EA from the identification of transportation problems & opportunities, to the evaluation of alternatives, and identification of the most appropriate mitigation measures.

17. What is an Environmental Assessment (EA)?

All public infrastructure projects in Ontario, including transportation planning projects, are subject to the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (1997). They are required to undergo a process whereby all potential impacts are considered, i.e. natural, social, cultural and economic. Projects that are particularly large and complex, with the potential for a wide range of environmental effects (like the GTA West Corridor), are subject to the Individual EA process under the Act.

The GTA West Corridor EA Study is also subject to the requirements of the federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which has its own process and set of requirements. As a result of the Canada-Ontario Agreement for EA Cooperation, signed in 2004, MTO is committed to working in a coordinated manner with both the provincial and federal governments.

18. What is an EA Terms of Reference?

For proposed new transportation corridors that follow an Individual EA, the first step in this process is the development of an EA Terms of Reference (ToR) document that outlines the framework and commitments for completing the subsequent EA study. The ToR outlines how the proponent will conduct the study and how impacts will be assessed. It outlines the process for identifying:

• Transportation planning/need;
• Alternatives to the undertaking;
• Definition of an EA study area;
• Range and types of alternatives to be considered; and the,
• Generation and evaluation of alternatives to be considered.

The ToR also outlines the consultation process to be undertaken. In a major undertaking such as an Individual EA, a consultation program will typically include Public Information Centres (PICs), meetings with a Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG), Municipal Advisory Group (MAG), Community Advisory Group (CAG), a project web site, a local project office, individual meetings with stakeholders and stakeholder groups, and issue-specific workshops. The consultation program can be tailored to meet the requirements of each individual project. The EA ToR document must be submitted to the Minister of the Environment for review and approval. If approval is granted, the proponent (e.g., MTO) may then proceed with the subsequent EA study. Once completed, this study will also in turn be submitted to the Minister of Environment for review and approval. If approved, the proponent can then proceed with design and construction.

These stages are also regulated by the Canada Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and require additional environmental studies and consultation.

19. How does an Individual EA differ from a Class EA?

A Class EA is a decision-making framework under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act that applies to a range of similar, or class of, projects. A Class EA is used when potential environmental impacts and the proposed mitigation techniques are predictable and/or similar to other projects within that same class. MTO's "Class EA for Provincial Transportation Facilities" document was developed in consultation with the Ministry of the Environment, and similar to an Individual EA, it defines and documents the process to be followed when conducting the EA study as well as requirements for public participation.

20. How is MTO fulfilling its commitment towards achieving a sustainable transportation network within the GTA West Corridor study?

The ministry is currently developing a "Sustainability Strategy" for transportation planning in Ontario, a draft of which was recently posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights website for public review and comment. The main goal of the strategy will be to influence ministry decision-making at all levels, and to incorporate the concept of 'sustainability' into policies and programs that have an impact on the provincial transportation system. There are already many areas within the Ministry where the concept of "sustainability" is being incorporated. For example, MTO maintains a Statement of Environmental Values or SEV, which recognizes that a healthy environment is necessary to sustain the prosperity of current and future generations. The ministry's SEV states that the protection, conservation, and where appropriate, restoration of the environment will be integrated into the strategic planning, day-to-day activities, and long-term decision-making of the ministry. The "Sustainability Strategy" will help to promote the values and goals of the ministry's SEV by taking a systematic and public approach to integrating the principles of sustainability into the work that MTO does. The GTA West Corridor study has incorporated sustainability concepts such as the 'Three Pillars of Sustainability", otherwise referred to as 'the triple bottom line' into the study process. Considering "the Environment", "the Economy", and "the Community" in decision-making will help to ensure that the identification of problems and opportunities, and the ultimate transportation solution will be developed in support of:

• Compact, vibrant and complete communities;
• A prosperous and competitive economy; and
• A protected environment.