Premier Ford has made yet another non-announcement concerning the start of the proposed Highway 413. In their August 27th press release, the province stated that road resurfacing and 401/407 intersection work represents the start of construction on the Highway. Fortunately, this is far from the case and building of the actual highway itself will not start for a long time. 

This is because the environmental studies, engineering and design, land acquisition, and federal permits required to start highway construction are far from being finalized. In fact, at this point, firm completion dates are not available for any of these components or requirements. These checks and balances remain a reality despite the province’s exemption of the highway from key provincial legislation designed to review its impacts. The province also repealed the Endangered Species Act which protected, under provincial law, the rarest of wildlife (however, the federal Act remains in force).

The province continues to also insist that the Highway would save commuters travel time but the Expert Panel appointed by the previous government, and on whose advice, they made the decision to cancel it, concluded it would save commuters only 30 seconds across the region.

As for all of us at Environmental Defence, as soon as we learned about the Premier’s planned press conference in Caledon, we quickly mobilized by organizing a rally at the MTO weigh station press conference location on Highway 10. With it being such a busy stretch of road, countless trucks and vehicles joined in, honking their horns to amplify participants’ chants of “Open Up the 407” throughout the press conference. Our “Stop the 413” signs were not only prominently displayed behind the Premier but also featured in media coverage, standing out against the government’s large, blue  “Highway 413” sign.

Our presence at the event generated significant media attention featuring Environmental Defence, with coverage from CBC, Toronto Star and an interview with CP24. In each, we emphasized that Highway 413 would serve sprawl developers – not the people of Ontario. We are encouraged to see local people, including those in the Caledon area, standing up in opposition to Highway 413.

Environmental Defence has long warned that this Highway is not just another road – it’s a $10 billion plus catalyst for destructive sprawl expansion, increased gridlock, and permanent ecological loss. Endangered species hang in the balance. Fertile agricultural land and protected park land would be stripped away. 

Environmental Defence is actively challenging this project by continuing to undertake ecological and economic research, disseminating key information to the public, media and government decision makers, and working with local community members. Later this fall, we will be releasing expert reports on three federally-designated endangered species at risk including the western chorus frog, the rapids clubtail dragonfly, and the redside dace. In addition, our new deep dive into regional transportation alternatives to the 413 will hit the streets and lay out what really needs to happen if we are going to provide mobility to people without destroying the region we all live in.

Take action here.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.