ERO #019-4219 proposes that…

ERO #019-4219 would enshrine a "project list" approach within Ontario's environmental assessment (EA) regime. This has been done at the federal level with disastrous results.

In 2012, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) was essentially gutted, limiting the EA process to a few "high impact" projects contained in regulations, and exempting all others.

When CEAA 2012 was replaced by the new Impact Assessment Act, the project list exemptions were retained, or even expanded to include controversial projects such as new nuclear reactors. Public interest groups now routinely appeal to the Minister for EA of controversial projects exempted under the project list. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada spends most of its time coming up with reasons NOT to do impact assessments. Canada's EA regime, once world-leading, is now a pathetic joke - a barrier to development, rather than a means to enable sustainable development.

Now Ontario is heading down the same road. ERO #019-4219 proposes that new highways and rail lines “of any length” and new power lines be moved to a streamlined EA process known as Class Environmental Assessments (EAs). Minister Steve Clark says these changes are important for “affordable housing”, and will still “ensure environmental oversight and robust consultation."

Not true.

Class EAs are a fast-track for projects deemed routine with minimal impact to the environment. Properly done, a Class EA has significant value. However, high-impact development projects should never be slipped under Class EAs. In practice, projects that receive Class EAs are never rejected.

Doing development right is important. Urban sprawl gobbles up prime farmland and sensitive ecosystems. Building new homes outside of city boundaries requires new vast investments to build new infrastructure, including roads, transmission lines, sewers. and new transit. Sprawl forces home buyers to adopt car-dependent, polluting lifestyles that worsen the climate emergency. Roads fragment greenspaces, destroying habitat for plants and animals.

Existing urban boundaries include hundreds of square kilometers awaiting development for affordable communities.

ERO #019-4219 says the only valid reason for asking the Minister to "bump-up" a Class EA to a full EA is impact on aboriginal treaty rights. What about ordinary Ontario citizens? This would deprive us of our right to have input on major development projects.

There is no evidence that ERO #019-4219 will increase the supply of affordable housing. We need an EA regime that strengthens environmental protection; safeguards our farmlands, wetlands and forests; improves our public transportation systems; and provides urban residents with increased access to our irreplaceable green spaces.

ERO #019-4219 is bad public policy.