1. Introduction and Background

Transcription

1 1. Introduction and Background 1.1 Introduction This report documents the Environmental Assessment (EA) undertaken for the proposed 407 East Transportation Corridor in accordance with the approved Terms of Reference (see Appendix A). The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) in consultation with the Region of Durham, its constituents and surrounding municipalities, undertook an Individual EA study to address the long-term transportation needs in the Region of Durham and surrounding area (see Exhibit 1.1). The study supports the transportation objectives of the provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by providing for the efficient movement of people and goods within the study area. The Province, Region of Durham and the Region s constituent municipalities have recognized that major deficiencies exist within the transportation system in the Region of Durham, which negatively affect the movement of people and goods, and potentially adversely affect the natural and social environment. As population and employment figures grow, this situation will be exacerbated if additional east-west and north-south system capacity and/or demand management measures are not provided, in addition to recommended improvements to local, regional and inter-regional transit in the area. In addition to transportation system constraints within Durham Region, there are existing and anticipated capacity constraints on key linkages between Durham Region and the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), including communities to the west (Greater Toronto Area (GTA)) and east (the City s of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough and the Counties of Northumberland and Peterborough). Preliminary Design o Recommended Undertaking o Impact Assessment o Mitigation / Compensation / Monitoring EA Report / Documentation Notice of Completion A thorough and inclusive consultation program was undertaken as part of the EA. Results and updates were provided at key milestones of the above noted study phases. In recognition of the identified transportation deficiencies, the Province of Ontario, through the MTO, is proposing an extension of the existing 407 transportation corridor from its current terminus at Brock Road in Pickering to Highway 35/115 in Clarington, including two north-south links connecting Highway 401 to the proposed extension of 407, one in West Durham (Whitby) and the other in East Durham (Clarington). The transportation corridor includes a highway component and a transitway component (i.e. a dedicated corridor for transit). The EA Study also recognizes and recommends a number of other initiatives to address the long-term transportation needs in the region, in concert with the proposed extension of the 407 East transportation corridor. These recommendations include: Enhancements to local and inter-regional transit services; Improvements to existing roads (Regional and Provincial); and Improvements to existing transportation operations through demand and systems management. The 407 East EA was initiated in January 2005, after completion of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Study and approval of the ToR by the Minister of the Environment (January 2005). The EA documents the approved study process and the study results and recommendations. Phases of the EA include and are documented as follows: Project Initiation Transportation Problems and Opportunities Transportation Alternatives (Alternatives to the Undertaking) Route Alternatives (Alternative Methods) o Long List Screening o Short List Assessment and Evaluation 1-1

2 Exhibit 1.1: 407 Analysis Area Relative to Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Area 1-2

3 1.1.1 Provincial Context Provincial Policy Statement The Province of Ontario issued a new Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) in 2005, which is intended to provide policy direction on planning matters related to issues of provincial interest. The current PPS came into effect on March 1, 2005 and replaced the former 1997 PPS. Changes to the Planning Act in 2005 require that all decisions affecting planning matters shall be consistent with the PPS and will be complemented by Regional and locally generated policies regarding matters of local interest. The Provincial Policy Statement sets out three key principles concerning the long term prosperity, environmental health and social well-being of Ontario, and provides policy directions in the following areas: building strong communities; wise use and management of resources; and protecting public health and safety. area generating nearly two-thirds of Ontario s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In recognition of this forecasted growth, the Growth Plan policies reflect the need to ensure the development of healthy and balanced communities focusing on infrastructure planning and strategic investment. The Growth Plan identifies a number of Urban Growth Centres (UGCs) as illustrated in Exhibit 1.2, where development is planned to achieve density targets for population and employment in order to support the policies of a strong economy and a healthy environment. Within Durham Region, Oshawa and Pickering have been identified as UGCs. To the east and west of Durham Region, UGCs have been identified in Peterborough, Markham, Milton and Mississauga. Exhibit 1.2: Places to Grow: Urban Growth Centres The PPS is an overarching consideration that guides decision making within the EA process. The PPS requires the protection of corridors and rights-of-ways for significant transportation and infrastructure facilities such as the 407 East Extension Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe The Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) is located in southern Ontario and is bordered by Brantford to the west, Barrie to the north, Peterborough to the east and the shore of Lake Ontario to the south (see Exhibit 1.2). The GGH covers an area of approximately 33,500 km 2 and is home to a population of greater than 8 million people. The GGH, which includes the Region of Durham, is one of the fastest growing areas in North America. Durham Region, located immediately east of the GTA, encompasses an area of approximately 2,500 km 2. The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe was prepared under the Places to Grow Act, 2005, which is a plan to guide decisions on a wide range of issues including transportation, infrastructure, land use planning, housing, natural heritage and resource protection. The policy directions support managed growth through the provision of built up areas, complete communities, transit use, intensification, optimization of existing infrastructure, preservation of employment opportunities and the preservation of prime agricultural areas and natural heritage resources. The policies of the plan are intended to guide growth and development to 2031 to build stronger, prosperous communities by better managing growth. Population in the GGH is forecasted to increase by 3.7 million people by the year 2031, with a corresponding increase in employment also forecasted for 2031 with two million additional jobs created 1. This would result in a total population of greater than 11 million people in the GGH area by 2031, with the 1 Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. June Page

4 The 407 East EA Study supports the transportation objectives of the PPS and the Provincial Growth Plan for the GGH. Both the PPS and the Growth Plan for the GGH advocate the planning and protection of corridors and right-of-ways for transportation and / or transit infrastructure to meet existing and forecast needs for the efficient movement of people and goods Transportation and Transit Network Transportation infrastructure is critical in maintaining economic, social and environmental well being. The state of Ontario s infrastructure as a whole has been described as in a state of deficit of enormous scope and scale 2. The transportation network includes a variety of modes, including roads, transit, pedestrian and cycling systems, railways, airports and harbours. It serves a variety of functions critical to the social and economic vitality of any area and to the province as a whole. The transportation network serves the daily travel needs of residents, employees coming to an area, and commercial vehicles and tourist trips destined to or passing through an area. Roads within the GGH provide access within the area and support access to eastern, southwestern and northern Ontario, Canada and the USA via New York and Michigan border crossings. The provincial transportation network in the GGH, shown in Exhibit 1.3, consists of approximately 400 km of highways and serves a population of greater than 5 million people. In the eastern area of the GGH, which includes Durham Region, there is only one provincial highway (controlled access conditions), specifically Highway 401, which provides access within and through the area. Highway 401 is the busiest highway in North America and operates at or near capacity for a majority of each day. Rail services in the GGH are operated by Canadian Pacific Railways (CPR), Canadian National (CN) Railways, GO Transit and VIA rail. Rail lines in the GGH are shown on Exhibit 1.4. Transit in and through the GGH is generally provided by GO and VIA rail services, and by GO bus services. Approximately 5.6% of all trips within the GGH are made on transit service 3. Goods movement using rail is provided on lines operated by CPR and CN which in 1993 moved 36 million tonnes of freight via the GTA s rail corridors. Of that, 7.4 million tonnes were transported from the GTA and 7.7 million tonnes were transported to the GTA Economy and Goods Movement carried $540 million in goods into or out of the GTA from areas east of the GGH and approximately $900 million in goods was carried on 27,000 trucks traveling to and from the GTA from areas west of the GGH. The provincial highway system carries upwards of 70% 4 of the total GTA inter-city goods movement on a tonnage basis. Within the Region of Durham, provincial highways represent a significant trade corridor for the GGH with approximately 30% of commercial vehicles travelling to the GGH destined to or passing through the Region of Durham. In 2000, over 90% of the Ontario export trade was to the United States with trucks carrying over 75% of the shipments value and 55% of the shipments volume. The major products exported included automotive products, machinery and electronic equipment. A high proportion of the goods moving between Ontario and the United States originates in, is destined to, or passes through the GTA including the Region of Durham. Located on the St. Lawrence Seaway, the GGH is also served by a series of canals and lakes, which permit travel by ship between Thunder Bay in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The GGH has a number of port facilities, including the Ports of Hamilton, Toronto, Clarkson and Oshawa. Movement of goods in the GGH is also provided by air cargo via the Lester B. Pearson International Airport and the John C. Monroe Hamilton International Airport. Marine and rail in the GGH account for the transportation of goods at 15% and 14% respectively, while 1% of all goods (by tonnage) were transported into or out of the GGH area as air cargo Tourism Tourism is currently Ontario s fifth largest export industry and is projected to become the fourth largest in the near future. It is estimated that upwards of 17 million tourists visit the GTA from outside Ontario (the eastern United States, Quebec and Atlantic Provinces) and as weekend trips from areas along the Highway 401 corridor. Greater than 70% of tourists arriving in the Toronto area are travelling by automobile and tourism numbers are forecasted to grow by 40% over fifteen years 5. The GGH is home to a variety of tourist attractions including shopping malls and cultural festivals like Octoberfest, Pride week and Caribana. Tourism traffic on a summer Friday results in Highway 401 through the GGH experiencing higher than average traffic volumes as tourist traffic travels to cottage areas (Muskoka and Kawartha/Haliburton areas) and other tourist areas in Southwestern and Eastern Ontario / Quebec, including Niagara Falls, Waterloo Region, Toronto and Kingston (see Exhibit 1.3). International trade and goods movement is critical to Central Ontario and the GGH. As noted above, Highway 401 is the key economic corridor connecting eastern Ontario, Canada and the American industrial centres of New York and Michigan. On a daily basis in 2000, approximately 15,000 trucks 2 Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. Renew Ontario, Strategic Highlights Page 2. 3 Transportation Tomorrow Survey Greater Toronto Services Board, Goods and Services Movement Strategy, Phase Niagara Peninsula Transportation Needs Assessment, Socio Economic Work Stream Summary Report. Page

5 Exhibit 1.3: Provincial Transportation Network in the Greater Golden Horseshoe 1-5

6 Exhibit 1.4: Railway Lines in the Greater Golden Horseshoe 1-6

7 Greenbelt Plan Environmental Policies The Greenbelt Plan identifies a broad band of protected land and includes policies that regulate its use. The Greenbelt helps sustain the ecological and human health of south central Ontario. Extending from the eastern end of the Oak Ridges Moraine near Rice Lake to the Niagara River, the Greenbelt is about 325 km long and 80 km at its widest as shown in Exhibit 1.1. The Greenbelt Plan was authorized by provincial legislation, the Greenbelt Act in 2005, and is governed by the policies of: The Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP), The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP), The Parkway Belt West Plan, and The Protected Countryside Policies of the Greenbelt Plan. Approximately 800,000 acres are protected under the NEP and the ORMCP. An additional one million acres are protected through the Protected Countryside designation of the Greenbelt Plan, which follow existing designations, found in local and Regional Official Plans. The Protected Countryside includes Natural Heritage and Water Resource Systems, Agricultural Systems and Settlement Areas. Amendments / changes to the Greenbelt Plan will generally only be considered during the mandated 10- year review. Oak Ridges Moraine The Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) is one of Ontario s most significant landforms and is an irregular ridge that stretches 160 km from the Trent River in the east to the Niagara Escarpment in the west. Together with the Niagara Escarpment, the ORM forms the foundation of south-central Ontario s natural heritage and greenspace systems, with a unique concentration of environmental, geological and hydrogeological features. The Moraine was formed 12,000 years ago by advancing and retreating glaciers and it contains the headwaters of 65 river systems 6 and a variety of streams, woodlands, wetlands, kettle lakes, kettle bogs and significant flora and fauna. The sand and gravel deposits of the Moraine act like a sponge absorbing rain and snow melt and then storing that water through layers of sand and gravel (aquifers). The water is slowly filtered through the layers and then released to the rivers and streams flowing north into Lakes Simcoe and Scugog and south into Lake Ontario. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan came into effect in April The Plan clarifies the longterm protection and management of the 190,000 ha within the Moraine. The Plan divides the ORM into four land use designations with varying degrees of protection: Natural Core Areas, Natural Linkage Areas, Countryside Areas and Settlement Areas. Development within lands identified as part of the ORM is generally prohibited with some exceptions if a project s need is sufficiently demonstrated and when no reasonable alternative exists. The ORMCP was integrated into the Greenbelt Plan in 2005 with lands protected by both plans totalling more than 1.8 million acres. The area protected by the ORMCP is shown on Exhibit 1.1. Niagara Escarpment The GGH is also home to the Niagara Escarpment. The Niagara Escarpment extends 725 km from Queenston on the Niagara River to the islands off Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula and is an area designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere. The Niagara Escarpment Parks System covers approximately 131 parks and protected areas and forms part of the lands included in the Greenbelt Plan. Together, the Niagara Escarpment and the Greenbelt Plan policies provide a framework of objectives to strike a balance between development, preservation and the enjoyment of this important resource. The 407 East study area does not directly impact the Niagara Escarpment lands. Parkway Belt West Plan The Parkway Belt West Plan (PBWP) was implemented in 1978 for the purposes of creating a multipurpose transportation and utility corridor, urban separator and linked open space system. The PBWP was a culmination of regional planning, greenbelt and greenway planning. The eastern portion of the 407 transportation corridor, east of Markham Road, is not covered by the Parkway Belt West Plan Regional Context (Durham Region / Eastern GTA) The Analysis Area for the 407 East EA is in Durham Region located just east of Toronto within the GGH. The 407 ETR is built and operational from the Queen Elizabeth Way in Burlington to Brock Road in Pickering. The existing section of 407 is operated and maintained as the 407 ETR (Electronic Toll Route) by a private firm. Traffic exiting the 407 ETR is directed to Highway 7 for further travel east within the Region of Durham. Alternatively, access to Highway 401 is available by travelling south on arterial roads. Durham Region and the provincial and regional roads within it are shown in Exhibit 1.5, as is the terminus of the existing 407 ETR at Brock Road in Pickering. 6 CLOCA Year in Review

8 Exhibit 1.5: Road Network in Durham Region 1-8

9 Durham Region is home to a population of approximately 530,000 people within its constituent municipalities (Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock). Based on the Growth Plan for the GGH, Durham Region is projected to grow in population from 530,000 in 2001 to approximately 960,000 in Over the same time period, employment is expected to grow from 190,000 to approximately 350,000. Durham Region also has two designated UGCs, one in Pickering and the second in Oshawa, as identified in the Growth Plan Regional and Municipal Official Plan Policies Durham Region s Official Plan (OP) is the overarching policy guiding land use within the Region. Under the Ontario Planning Act, the Region s OP must be in conformity with provincial policies including the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan. Similarly, municipalities within the Region must have Official Plans (OPs), which conform with the Regional OP. In this way, the provincial objectives of economic, environmental and social health and sustainability are met. General land use designations and municipal boundaries in the Region are shown in Exhibit 1.6. An extension of 407 through Durham Region was first shown on regional and municipal OPs in the 1970 s. As a result of the 407 East Study s background (discussed further in Section 1.2), OPs and policies have been developed to benefit from of a new major transportation corridor (i.e. proposed 407 corridor (highway and transitway facilities)). In response to the Province s Growth Plan, Durham Region initiated a Growing Durham Study in July 2007, which built on the Region s OP review work and provided a comprehensive analysis of the implications of growth in the Region, including a review and evaluation of alternative growth scenarios within the context of the Growth Plan. Through the selection of a recommended growth scenario, the Growing Durham Study formed the basis to inform future decisions on amendments to the Regional OP (i.e. policies and schedules), to implement the Provincial Growth Plan. The recently completed Study addresses Growth Plan population and employment forecasts to 2031, intensification and Greenfield density targets and the resultant urban land needs in Durham to The Growing Durham report identified the proposed 407 corridor as one of the key drivers for growth in the Region an essential new east/west mobility route through the Region 7. Exhibit 1.7 illustrates the approved land use plan for Durham Region based on the November 2008 Growing Durham final draft report. Further information about the Growing Durham plan is provided in Chapter 3 of this report Transportation and Transit Network There are several modes of passenger transportation in Durham Region, including private automobiles, municipal transit services, GO Transit services (rail and bus), VIA rail and private bus services. General trends in Durham Region s travel patterns 8 include: 72% of trips made each day by residents of Durham Region are as auto drivers; Auto passengers represent 17% of Durham residents daily trips; GO Rail carried 1% of all daily trips in 2001 on its Lakeshore East Line; Transit services other than GO Rail services carried another 2% of daily trips; and 5% of trips were completed by individuals walking. The existing provincial highway system within Durham Region, illustrated on Exhibit 1.4, consists of Highway 401, Highway 407, Highway 7, Highway 7A, Highway 12 and Highway 35/115. Within the Region of Durham, Highway 401 is the only east-west freeway and Highway 35/115 is the only northsouth divided highway (operating at a lower standard than required for a standard freeway). Existing daily traffic volumes on Highway 401 range from approximately 175,000 vehicles at the western boundary of Durham to approximately 45,000 vehicles east of Highway 35/115. Traffic volumes on summer Fridays and Sundays can be 25% higher than an average day in the year. Traffic counts on the existing 407 ETR suggest volumes of approximately 18,000 vehicles use the easternmost section of the highway on typical weekdays with volume increases experienced during the summer. Within Durham Region, there are a number of Type A arterials intended to move large volumes of traffic, including truck traffic, and they are generally designed to provide a high level of service, relative to other arterials. In their OP, Durham Region also designates certain arterials as transit spines (i.e. major corridors where a higher level of transit service is to be promoted within urban areas). Minor transit corridors are also designated in the Region s OP and form a proposed "Priority Transit Network". Commuter rail plays a significant role in peak period passenger travel between Durham Region and the Toronto Central Business District. In 2001, the GO trains carried approximately 11,000 passengers westbound across the Toronto-Durham Line during the A.M. peak period and 9,800 passengers eastbound during the P.M. peak period 9. Existing GO train stations in Durham Region are located in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa. GO Transit recently completed a feasibility study regarding the expansion of GO train service to Bowmanville. 7 Region of Durham. Growing Durham Recommended Growth Scenario and Policy Directions. November Page Transportation Tomorrow Survey data (TTS) GO Rail Passenger Count Data. 1-9

10 Exhibit 1.6: Land Use Designations and Municipal Boundaries in Durham Region 1-10

11 Exhibit 1.7: Growing Durham Recommended Growth Scenario (Nov 2008) 1-11

12 Economy and Goods Movement Durham Region is well known for the strength of its manufacturing sector. Of the Region s total gross domestic product, over 25% ($2.3 billion) is accounted for by the manufacturing sector which employs about 22% of the Region s labour force. Both the manufacturing and service sectors depend on a reliable and efficient transportation system to accommodate just-in-time delivery production systems (i.e. materials delivered as required), as well as accessibility to markets within the GTA and beyond in the USA. Aggregate extraction in northern Durham Region (often associated with the Oak Ridges Moraine) is also significant to the economy and the transportation system. In 2001, commercial vehicle movements on Highway 401 in Durham Region ranged from approximately 32,000 trucks per day at the Durham Toronto boundary to approximately 18,000 trucks per day through the Town of Whitby, to approximately 13,000 per day through the Municipality of Clarington. Estimates indicate that more than 50% of the commercial vehicles travelling to the Golden Horseshoe area will be destined to or travel through the Region of Durham. Increased commercial movements in and through the Region of Durham accentuate the importance of maintaining adequate capacity on both the freeway and arterial roadway network. Air cargo in Durham Region is processed through the Oshawa Municipal Airport. The short runway length (4000 ft.) at this facility and the lack of regularly scheduled flights mean that freight activity is infrequent and provided only on an as-needed basis when chartered by local industries. The General Motors facilities in Oshawa resulted in Durham Region being the regional municipality with the most rail interaction with the United States, even in comparison to the City of Toronto (2004). Durham Region also received more goods by rail than it generated in The Region is also served by the Port of Oshawa for transportation of goods. The Port is a small one with two docks located approximately 2 km from Highway 401 and with direct rail connections. The Port handled approximately 198,000 tonnes in 2003 of which, nearly 41% (80,800 tonnes) comprised steel entering the port 10. There are two nuclear stations in Durham Region, one situated in Pickering at the base of Brock Road and a second situated in Clarington at the base of Holt Road, which are significant to the local economy Tourism As noted previously, tourism is currently Ontario s fifth largest export industry. Spending on tourism in Canada reached approximately $54 billion in 2000 with approximately 30% of the tourism spending from foreign visitors. Ontario benefits most from international visitors with 38% of the expenditures occurring in Ontario. It is estimated that 70% of tourist trips to the Toronto metropolitan area are trips using automobiles. Durham Region is the eastern gateway to the Toronto area. With tourist travel forecast to increase, travel through the Region will increase correspondingly. Tourism within Durham Region is also forecast to increase in areas north and east of the urbanized area into cottage country and where the Greenbelt Plan and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan have protected and identified areas of interest. Tourist travel to, through and within the Region is dependent on the provincial and regional road system shown in Exhibit 1.5. Under existing conditions, there are significant periods of congestion on Friday and Sunday evenings during the summer months which is not conducive to the attraction of tourists. Improvements to the transportation system in the Region are needed to achieve the objectives of the Ontario and Region of Durham tourism and recreational industries and to accommodate the forecast increase in tourism traffic Environmental Policies The 407 Analysis Area crosses the boundaries of three Conservation Authorities: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) and Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), and includes 11 major watersheds. Exhibit 1.8 identifies the environmental features within Durham Region. Generally, floodplains and valleylands associated with the watercourses are designated as Major Open Space Areas in the Durham Region Official Plan and the watercourses themselves are designated as Environmentally Sensitive Areas. A large portion of Durham Region is also designated as protected countryside under the provincial Greenbelt Plan, which includes large areas of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Area. Durham Region is also the location of an area of the Lake Iroquois shoreline, which stretches north of Lake Ontario, from the Niagara River to the Trent River, with an average width of 3 km. The Lake Iroquois shoreline is significant as its sandy soils allow local infiltration that supports groundwater baseflow and plants and animals depend on this relationship. Of particular significance in Durham Region are the natural heritage features of the Harmony-Farewell- Iroquois Beach Wetland Complex, Solina Wetland and wooded areas near Courtice Road, Trulls Road, East Soper and Mackie Creeks, and the Heber Downs Conservation Area. Many of these areas are Provincially Significant Wetland (PSWs), Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs) or Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs), reflecting their importance. Each of the features is shown on Exhibit

13 4 0 7 E a s t E n v i r o n m e n t a l As s e s s m e n t R e p o r t Exhibit 1.8: Natural Environment Features in Durham Region 1-13

14 1.2 Background As previously noted and illustrated in Exhibit 1.9, the existing 407 corridor originates at the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in Burlington and terminates at Brock Road in Pickering. Approval of this EA Study would see the 407 corridor extended from Brock Road to Highway 35/115, including two north-south links connecting Highway 401 to the proposed extension of 407, one in West Durham (Whitby) and the other in East Durham (Clarington). The need for an east-west freeway, north of Toronto and connecting to Highway 35/115 in Clarington was initially considered in the 1950 s and 1960 s. Since the consideration of extending the corridor was first made, planning decisions related to land use and transportation in the GGH have included the extension of the 407 corridor as part of the Do Nothing alternative (i.e. it has been included as a part of the future existing conditions for the area, the base case scenario). Various planning studies were previously undertaken to determine the location of particular stretches of the 407 corridor as it exists today. The portion of the 407 corridor between the QEW and Highway 5 was originally planned and approved as part of the Highway 403 corridor in the 1960 s. A further section of the corridor was then planned to extend the 407 from Highway 5 to Markham Road in Markham and was approved as part of the Parkway Belt West Plan in The extension of the 407 from Markham Road to Highway 35/115 was again reviewed and presented in a 1989 Highway 407 Overview Study. Subsequent to the Highway 407 Overview Study, MTO initiated route planning studies to extend the 407 corridor east of Highway 48 as two separate studies, each approximately 30 kilometres in length: From Highway 48 / Markham Road in Markham to the Whitby / Oshawa boundary; and From the Whitby / Oshawa boundary to the junction of Highways 35 and 115 in Clarington. Route planning studies for two connecting highway links were initiated in 1990 to identify corridors to connect the proposed 407 corridor with Highway 401. Separate studies were initiated for a connection in the Pickering / Ajax and Whitby areas and for a connection in the Oshawa / Clarington area. All the route planning / environmental assessment studies carried out in the early 1990 s were designed and conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Provincial Environmental Assessment Act as they applied at that time. When these projects were initiated, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act had not been enacted, although consultation with federal regulatory agencies was extensive. Technically preferred routes for these facilities were identified and presented to the public. However, in 1994 all 407 route planning studies (four in total), were put on hold and amalgamated into one larger study as the Highway 407 East Completion. In 1997, in response to traffic related issues arising from the termination of 407 at Highway 48 / Markham Road, the MTO completed the Highway 407/Transitway Markham Road Easterly to Highway 7 East of Brock Road Environmental Assessment Report ( Highway 407 East Partial Extension ). The work associated with the East Partial Study included further consideration of the need for Highway 407 east of Brock Road and concluded that there would be significant deficiencies in transportation capacity east of Brock Road by 2011 and improvements to Highway 401 alone within Durham Region would not resolve east-west capacity constraints. The East Partial Study also recommended that significant improvements to transit infrastructure would be required to handle future travel demand and that a 407 corridor was a suitable location to accommodate higher-order transit service. The East Partial EA Study (see Exhibit 1.10) was approved by the Minister of the Environment in June, Construction of the Highway 407 East Partial extension was completed to the existing Brock Road terminus in August In 1999, the Region of Durham also identified the 407 corridor as an essential future component in the provincial network in the Durham Mobility Study, a background study which led to the development of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). In 2002, MTO published the Central Ontario Strategic Transportation Directions Draft, which provided an overview of the transportation network for the geographical area from Peterborough in the northeast, Barrie in the north, Kitchener-Waterloo in the west and the Niagara Peninsula in the south. Once again, it was recommended that the Province pursue the planning and development of 407 East Completion to Highway 35/ as part of the strategy for building system capacity to meet future travel demands. The Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan identifies the 407 East transportation corridor within its 15- year Plan, amongst other transit initiatives. In summary, a number of previous studies indicated a need to consider a new east-west freeway corridor (407 East) through Durham Region to Highway 35/115 with two new north-south freeway corridors connecting Highway 401 and 407, with preferred routes identified through several of the studies. A recommendation for the inclusion of a dedicated right-of-way for transit as part of the 407 transportation corridor through Durham Region was also made previously through a variety of the studies. The current 407 East EA Study was conducted as an Individual EA, in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA) and the 407 East ToR dated November 2004, which was approved by the Minister of the Environment on January 17, The ToR was the first step of a twostep OEAA approval process for proposed undertakings in the Province of Ontario, with the second step being the Individual EA. The work associated with this EA Study involved updating the work of previous studies using recent data in the context of applicable federal, provincial and municipal policies, additional and new fieldwork studies and review of existing and future traffic and land use conditions. Further details on the EA process for the 407 East EA are provided in Chapter Ministry of Transportation. Central Ontario Strategic Transportation Directions (Draft). December Page

15 Exhibit 1.9: Existing 407 ETR and 407 East EA Analysis Area 1-15

16 Exhibit 1.10: 407 East EA Analysis Area 1-16