Introduction

Proponent

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Location

City of Vaughan

Type

Tranportation

Reference Number

02110

Contact

Environmental Approvals Branch, 416-314-8001
Toll free 1-800-461-6290

Current Status

Environmental assessment: approved, October 21, 2010

Project Summary

The purpose of the study is to address existing and short-term transportation problems in the area south of the Greenbelt and to facilitate planning and development.

Project History

  • Environmental assessment: approved
    • Date submitted: January 29, 2010
    • Expiry of public comment period: March 19, 2010
    • Expiry of public comment period for Ministry Review: June 18, 2010
    • Decision date: October 21, 2010

  • Terms of reference: approved
    • Date submitted: June 23, 2005
    • Expiry of public comment period: July 25, 2005
    • Decision date: November 1, 2005

Environmental Assessment

The MTO in consultation with the Region of York, Region of Peel, surrounding municipalities and various stakeholders, undertook the study to address existing and short-term transportation problems related to the current Highway 427 terminus, truck traffic accessibility to and from the CP Vaughan Inter-modal Facility, and their impact on inter-regional traffic in the Peel-York boundary area. The study supports the transportation objectives of the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

The Recommended Alternative includes a transportation corridor consisting of a highway and transitway, as well as associated works and support facilities. The transportation corridor includes:

  • a 6.6 km extension of Highway 427 northerly from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive with six lanes proposed from Highway 7 to Rutherford Road and four lanes proposed from Rutherford Road to Major Mackenzie Drive;
  • new interchanges at Langstaff Road, Rutherford Road and Major Mackenzie Drive; and,
  • protection for a dedicated transitway along the west side of the extension and three transitway stations.

The Recommended Alternative for the highway component of the corridor was developed to a preliminary design level while the transitway component of the corridor and its support facilities were developed to a conceptual design level. The design work completed for both the highway and transitway components of the transportation corridor and the associated support facilities has been completed to a sufficient level of detail to confirm the feasibility of the proposed infrastructure and to identify the property requirements and environmental impacts. The transitway corridor and transitway support facilities will be subject to future Class EA studies prior to implementation.

Potential environmental effects, recommended mitigation and commitments to further works for the Recommended Alternative are outlined in the final EA Report.

An extensive consultation process was undertaken to assist in the planning and impact assessment for this project.

The final EA Report was submitted to the Minister of the Environment for approval under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The first comment period lasted for seven weeks, from January 29, 2010 to March 19, 2010.

A Notice of Completion of the ministry’s Review was published on May 14, 2010. A five-week public comment period on the Review expired on June 18, 2010, during which time any person could make comments about the proposed undertaking, the EA, and the ministry’s Review. Also during that time, requests for the Minister to refer the application to a hearing were allowed. No requests for a hearing were received.

The Minister of the Environment, with the approval of Cabinet, made a decision to allow the proposed undertaking to proceed subject to conditions on October 21, 2010.

Terms of Reference

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is working to provide for the efficient movement of people and goods within the context of the province’s draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. In order to realize the transportation objectives of the draft Growth Plan, MTO is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) Terms of Reference (TOR) for the 427 Transportation Corridor.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to address existing and short-term transportation problems related to the Highway 427 terminus, truck traffic to and from the CP Vaughan Inter-modal Facility, and inter-regional traffic on Highway 50, Highway 27 and York Regional Road 7. The primary objective is to address transportation issues in the area south of the Greenbelt and to facilitate planning and development.

Study area

MTO has submitted an Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference to identify transportation needs and identify solution(s) for the 427 Transportation Corridor (in the area of the existing Highway 427 terminus at York Regional Road 7) within the western part of the City of Vaughan and the eastern part of the City of Brampton.