Toronto | Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat — On Thursday, October 8, Environmental Defence will host a public town hall in Kleinburg, bringing together residents and health and environmental experts to confront the serious threats posed by the proposed Highway 413 to Kleinburg and Vaughan residents. Speakers will make the case about the need to stop this dangerous and needless highway before it’s too late.
WHO
Featured speakers include:
- Dr. Mili Roy, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
- Deborah Schulte, Former Member of Parliament for King-Vaughan
- Mike Marcolongo, Associate Director, Environmental Defence
WHEN
Thursday, October 8, 2026, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
WHERE
Cornerstone Community Church, Kleinburg, Ontario
Free parking is available at the venue. A complimentary dinner will be provided for all attendees. There will also be activities and supervision for children available so parents can attend.
WHY
- Highway 413 is a proposed 400-series highway in Ontario that would cut through ecologically sensitive lands in the Greater Toronto Area, with severe consequences for Kleinburg and Vaughan residents.
- Traffic-related air pollution — which the highway would substantially increase — has been scientifically linked to childhood leukemia, lung cancer, and premature deaths.
- Highway 413 would also destroy essential green spaces (including the Nashville Conservation Reserve), damage Humber River tributaries flowing through Kleinburg, and contribute to the release of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
- Beyond the environmental toll, the estimated $16–$18 billion cost — to be borne by Ontario taxpayers — would pay for a highway that worsens, not improves, traffic conditions, inducing greater car dependency and sprawl, and locking communities into longer commutes and increased congestion for decades to come. But construction has not yet begun — there’s still time to act.
MEDIA INFORMATION
Media are invited to attend. Please RSVP to the media contact below. Interviews with the participating speakers can be arranged before or after the event.
Full event details are available here: https://act.environmentaldefence.ca/page/200312/event/1
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE:
Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Erinn Steringa, media@environmentaldefence.ca
