York Water Supply
Project information about this environmental assessment.
Current status
Terms of reference: approved, April 30, 1999 (approved with amendments)
Project summary
The undertaking is defined as a Lake Ontario Water Supply via Durham West. The infrastructure components will consist of a raw water intake, raw water pumping station(s), a water treatment plant, a water storage reservoir, transmission watermain(s) and treated water pumping station(s).
Proponent
The Regional Municipality of York
Location
The infrastructure corridor study area for this project includes the eastern portion of the Town of Markham and the southeastern portion of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville in the Regional Municipality of York and the western portion of the Town of Pickering in the Regional Municipality of Durham.
Type
Sewage and water
Reference
9750
Contact
Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch
Project history
Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: October 27, 1998 (PD 3/11/98)
Expiry of Public Comment Period: December 4, 1998
Decision Date: April 30, 1999 (approved with amendments)
Terms of reference
The York Region Official Plan, approved in 1994, provides a set of policies that will help guide economic, environmental and community-building decisions affecting use of land within York Region. These policies include those to ensure the provision of adequate water services including the requirements for long-term water planning and investment strategies.
In furtherance of the policies in the Official Plan, the Regional Municipality of York completed a Long Term Water Supply Master Plan to identify a strategy to meet future projected regional water demands to year 2031. The Master Plan was undertaken in accordance with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for Water and Wastewater Projects.
One component of the Master Plan's recommended strategy is the requirement for a Great Lakes Water Supply. A supply from Lake Ontario via the western part of Durham Region (hereafter referred to as the Durham West solution) was identified as the preferred option of meeting this requirement during the master planning process.
Considering the potential magnitude of the Durham West solution and the inter-regional water supply issues involved, York Region determined subsequent planning for the Durham West solution would be undertaken as an Individual Environmental Assessment to ensure comprehensive government and public review.