Province will review Red Hill Expressway situation
Contact: Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper t) 416.861.1237
Toronto - The Province of Ontario has confirmed that it will review the Red Hill Creek Expressway situation. The outcome of this review could affect the construction of a controversial expressway through the city's Red Hill Valley.
I have asked my staff to review your letter and the current situation with respect to the Red Hill Creek Expressway project stated the Director of the Ministry of Environment's Environmental Assessment & Approvals Branch in a letter to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, an environmental justice group, wrote to the Minister of Environment in August, requesting a reconsideration of the approvals for the Red Hill Creek Expressway. The request is made under Section 11.4(1) of Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act which grants the Minister authority to reconsider approval for a project when circumstances have changed or new information arises.
Waterkeeper cited criminal charges and administrative orders against the city for polluting the Red Hill Creek, including a Fisheries Act conviction for landfill pollution, pending Ontario Water Resources Act charges for sewage pollution, and four provincial orders for stormwater pollution.
We understand that this letter is a preliminary response to our request, says Mark Mattson, President & Waterkeeper with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. We appreciate that the Province is taking its guardianship role seriously and look forward to its formal response.
