QUEEN’S PARK — MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to the Federal Court ruling that Federal Environment Minister was “unreasonable” when he denied a request from environmental groups to reconsider his decision to not undertake an environmental assessment of the Bradford Bypass.
“The Premier’s Bradford Bypass is a risky scheme that threatens our environment and quality of life.
Building the Bradford Bypass has never been about making life better for the people of Ontario.
It’s part of the government’s sprawl-at-all-costs agenda that will see wealthy land speculators make billions while the rest of us pay the price.
Fewer than 30 percent of Lake Simcoe area voters support construction of the highway. And for good reason.
Locals understand how important protecting Lake Simcoe is to their community. The lake is already at risk, and the highway would further pollute it with salt and phosphorus runoff.
It would increase climate pollution by 87 million kilograms per year, pave over 42 acres of the Holland Marsh, and slice right through the Greenbelt.
This court ruling is an important step along the way to stopping Ford’s assault on the places we love, our Greenbelt and Lake Simcoe.
I call on the Federal Environment Minister to commit to a full impact assessment of the environmentally destructive Bradford Bypass.”