This letter is to raise…

This letter is to raise grave concerns about public safety, gross negligence, and professional ethics, in a large infrastructure project at Ontario Place. I raise concerns to the Professional Engineers of Ontario, pursuant to the Professional Engineers Act (Ontario). It is advised that the Complaints Committee and Discipline Committee open an investigation into the conduct of the company EllisDon and any engineering practitioners involved in the Ontario Place revitalization project. Public safety is at serious risk at the Ontario Place construction site, due to the actions of EllisDon and other proponents. In the following, I document the information I have found. I am a licensed professional engineer in Ontario.

Public endangerment through removal of sewage safety pipes:

EllisDon is endangering the public through various actions, the latest being the planned removal of four sewer pipes that carry sewage from the mainland (shore of Lake Ontario) far out into the lake, away from the mainland, as far away as West Island (i.e. outside the breakwall of Ontario Place West Channel). If these sewer pipes were removed, raw sewage would be discharged right at downtown Toronto's shoreline, behind the breakwall, rather than out into open water.

On Friday November 22nd, 2024, from 11:30am to 1:30pm, I attended an online meeting entitled "Ontario Place - Dufferin CSO Stage 1 Works Stakeholder Consultation" where a proposal was put forth to chop off four sewer pipes, which would allow sewage to be discharged right at downtown Toronto's shoreline, putting the public's health and safety at risk.

The purpose of this sewer pipe removal appears to be to fast-track Ontario Place redevelopment so that Ontario Place West Island can be expanded and given to a foreign company in a 95 year lease to build a private spa on what was or is public land. Presently the sewer pipes extend out to an area of the lake that they want to fill-in (landfill) to expand West Island, i.e. the present location is in the way of development, so rather than properly fix the problem, they want to just cut off the pipes short at the shoreline. This would pollute the Ontario Place West Channel as the sewage would collect behind the breakwall rather than dissipate out into open water. The Ontario Place West Channel behind the breakwall is also frequently used by swimmers, paddlers, and rowers. I also swim, paddle, and exercise (waterball) there regularly. It is also a training area for professional swimmers, paddlers, and rowers.

This matter is urgent as public endangerment is eminent, since I have observed EllisDon workers onsite at Ontario Place West Channel, at the location of the sewer pipes.

Removal of sewer pipes to fast-track Ontario Place recevelopment:
I attended a virtual online meeting entitled "Ontario Place - Dufferin CSO Stage 1 Works Stakeholder Consultation" on Friday, 2024 November 22, 11:30am to 1:30pm.

During that meeting a proposal was put forth to chop off four sewer pipes right at the shore. Presently Toronto's sewer pipes extend out into Lake Ontario, carrying sewage away from the mainland.

It was proposed that these pipes would be chopped off at the mainland, with work to begin December 2024. This would dump sewage right at downtown Toronto's shoreline, putting the public's health and safety at risk so that the Ontario Place redevelopment for Therme spa construction can be rushed ahead.

They said that they plan to fix the sewage problem in about 2 years, but we know that delays can happen, so the City of Toronto might be ensewaged for much longer than 2 years.

They said they'd mitigate the unnecessarily-created problem with a "turbididty curtain", a screen to block discharge of unsightly debris, but this will still allow dangerous e coli through.

The said they would install monitoring equipment but when asked if the data would be made public, there was no response.

The panicked rush to prepare Ontario Place West Island for Therme so they can start construction early is putting our water at risk.

The private interests of a foreign corporation should not be driving key decisions about our water supply, our health, and our safety.

The future of Toronto's water supply, sewage, etc. is entangled with potential conflicts-of-interest. This dangerous development must be stopped until it can be done safely without putting Toronto at risk.

We have asked for the slides in an accessible format and are still awaiting a response. Here are screenshots from the presentation:
http://wearcam.org/CSO1/