Environmental Assessment…

Environmental Assessment Concerns

While the proposal states that "implications to the environment will be considered," this approach appears insufficient given your SEV commitments to:

"Integrate sustainability into the ministry's decision making, programs, policies and operations"

"Reduce transportation-related air emissions"

"Reduce transportation-related discharges of contaminants to water"

"Support the Government of Ontario's initiatives to conserve energy"

The framework should require comprehensive environmental impact assessments that consider:

Air quality impacts

Stormwater runoff contamination from increased vehicle traffic, including:

Oil and gasoline leaks

Tire particles and microplastics

Brake dust and heavy metals

Road salt and de-icing chemicals

Sediment and debris

The cumulative effect of these contaminants on local watersheds and water quality

Remember the flood we had a couple of months ago? Paving over large swaths of land that are capable of absorbing that water won't help, in fact it will only make the next large rainfall even more disastrous and costly.