Notice of Submission of Amended Environmental Assessment Report

In 2002, The Regional Municipality of York (York Region) initiated an Individual Environmental Assessment for the Markham Bypass Corridor South of Highway 407 (now referred to as the Donald Cousens Parkway to Morningside Avenue Link EA or the EA).  The original EA Report was completed and submitted to the Ministry of the Environment for formal review in December 2005.

 

Since that time, York Region has been working to address outstanding boundary area transportation issues which have implications for this project.  The Minister of the Environment agreed to permit the EA to be amended to address these issues.

The amended EA has been completed and is being submitted to the Ministry of the Environment for formal review as required under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.  The EA is being submitted in accordance with section 6.1(2) of the Environmental Assessment Act, the approved Terms of Reference for the project and pursuant to the Minister of the Environment’s Order MO-2009-001.

The project consists of a four-lane urban arterial roadway extension of Morningside Avenue from McNicoll Avenue north to Steeles Avenue, a widening of Steeles Avenue to a six-lane urban roadway from east of Tapscott Road to east of 9^th Line, and a widening of 9^th Line to a four-lane urban roadway from Steeles Avenue to the south limit of the Box Grove Development Area.  The project includes a new crossing of the Neilson Tributary and replacement of the existing Steeles Avenue crossings of the Rouge River and Morningside Tributary.  Sidewalks and cycling facilities are included in the proposed roadway cross section together with new ramps at the Donald Cousens Parkway / Highway 407 Interchange to provide access onto Highway 407 from the south.  A portion of the existing Box Grove Bypass and a Town of Markham arterial road within the Box Grove Planning Area have also been identified as part of the Donald Cousens Parkway Corridor.

The amended EA Report will be available for public review from July 29 to September 16, 2011 online at www.york.ca (under News and Information) or during normal business hours at the following locations:

Location	Address	Phone Number
Ministry of the Environment Environmental Assessment & Approvals Branch	2 St. Clair Avenue West, Floor 12A Toronto, ON  M4V 1L5	(416) 314-8001
Ministry of the Environment Central Region Office	5775 Yonge Street, 8th Floor North York, ON   M2M 4J1	(416) 326-6700
The Regional Municipality of York Office of the Regional Clerk	17250 Yonge Street, 4th Floor Newmarket, ON  L3Y 6Z1	1-877-464-9675 ext. 1320
Town of Markham Office of the Town Clerk	101 Town Centre Boulevard Markham, ON   L3R 9W3	(905) 475-4744
City of Toronto, Scarborough Civic Centre, Clerk’s Department	150 Borough Drive Toronto, ON  M1P 4N7	416-396-7288

Anyone wishing to make comments regarding the amended EA must submit comments in writing and/or by fax to the Ministry of the Environment by September 16, 2011.  All comments must be addressed to:

 

Mr. Gavin Battarino, Project Officer
Environmental Assessment & Approvals Branch
Ministry of the Environment
2 St. Clair Avenue West, Floor 12A
Toronto, ON  M4V 1L5
Phone: (416) 314-8214
Fax: (416) 314-8452

A copy of all comments will be forwarded to York Region. If you have any questions, please contact:

Mr. Steve Mota, Program Manager
The Regional Municipality of York
Planning and Development Services Department
17250 Yonge Street
Newmarket, ON  L3Y 6Z1
Phone:  1 (877) 464-9675 ext. 5056
Email:  steve.mota@york.ca

Link to Final Environmental Assessment Amendment Report

Under provincial privacy legislation and the Environmental Assessment Act, unless otherwise stated in the submission, any personal information such as name, address, telephone number and property location included in a submission will become part of the public record files for this matter and can be released, if requested, to any person.

This notice first published Thursday July 28, 2011.