More than 100 scientists call on Ottawa to order assessment of Ontario's Highway 413 project

A group of 120 scientists is asking the federal government to order an assessment of Ontario's Highway 413 project over concerns about its potential environmental harms. 

The scientists submitted a joint letter to Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, dated Nov. 11. 

"In absence of federal action, a proper review of the environmental impacts of the proposed highway will not occur and dozens of federally listed species at risk could be harmed, perhaps irrevocably," the letter says. 

The groups say research has shown construction of the highway could negatively impact as many as 29 species of animals that are considered "at risk" by the federal government, as well as 122 species of migratory birds and fish habitats in over 100 waterways. 

Those species include the red-headed woodpecker, Jefferson salamander, and western chorus frog, the letter says. 

"Failure to protect these species could lead to meaningful reductions in their chances of long-term survival and recovery of these species at risk in Canada," the letter says. 

The letter also expresses concern over Bill 212, which passed earlier this week and allows for construction of Highway 413 to begin before consultation with Indigenous groups or an environmental assessment is complete.

"We expect the Government of Ontario to continue collaborating through the federal-provincial working group before the project can proceed," said Hermine Landry, a spokesperson for the federal minister of environment and climate change, in an emailed statement.

Landry said the government "remains optimistic" about the working group's efforts.

"Even when a project is not subject to a federal impact assessment, it is still subject to federal and provincial oversight, including federal, provincial or municipal laws and regulations, and may be required to receive authorizations and permits in order to proceed," he said.

Congestion will worsen without highway, province says

Highway 413 would be a 52-kilometre highway that connects Peel, Halton and York regions. Much of the road would cut across wetlands, rivers, forests and agricultural areas, according to the outgoing director of the department of consultation for Mississaugas of the Credit.

In April, the province announced that a working group had been established between Ontario and the federal government to iron out environmental issues with the project. 

That came after Ottawa agreed to drop a federal impact assessment of the highway project, which upset environmental groups and opposition parties.

Dakota Brasier, a spokesperson for Ontario's transportation minister, said the province has already come to an agreement with the federal government to move the highway project forward. 

"We cannot maintain the status quo. Ontario's population is rapidly growing, and congestion is only going to get worse," she said via email. 

"We need to build the critical infrastructure now to plan for the future and ensure hard working Ontarians can get where they need to go each and every day. "

Project would have 'major impacts': scientist 

Beth Savan, a senior lecturer in the University of Toronto's school of environment, said she chose to sign the letter because she's concerned the highway would result in significant environmental harms while not not actually reducing congestion in the Greater Toronto Area. Instead, it would contribute to urban sprawl, she said.

"Certainly, this has been widely studied and it has been demonstrated time and again that more highways and wider highways attract more vehicles, which ultimately results in equal or even greater levels of congestion," she said. 

An environmental assessment would examine whether the project would actually address the issues its meant to address, but also examine the impacts it may have, she said. 

"A major project like this will have major impacts," she said. 

Savan said she's hoping the federal minister will reconsider. 

"We shouldn't be building a province that's good for cars. We need to build a province that's good for people."