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Bradford residents divided over proposed plans for bypass project

Project has been talked about for many years and would connect Highways 400 and 404
Highway
Stock photo

Bradford residents have been stirred up by the revival of the proposed link between Highway 400 and Highway 404, also known as the Bradford bypass.

This comes after environmental groups expressed concerns over the impact to the environmentally sensitive Holland Marsh, as they pointed out the original environmental assessment (EA) has not been updated in over two decades.

The bypass is a proposed 16.2-kilometre rural four-lane "controlled access freeway" that would extend from Highway 400 between Lines 8 and 9 in Bradford West Gwillimbury to Highway 404 between Queensville Sideroad and Holborn Road in East Gwillimbury.

Preliminary designs and the EA, which was originally created in 1997, will have to adhere to all relevant new and existing provincial and federal legislation, including the Endangered Species Act, Greenbelt Plan, Heritage Act, Fisheries Act, and Species at Risk Act.

However, critics argue the boundaries set for the new highway will impact wetlands and protected farmland areas, placing migratory birds and aquatic life at risk while also contributing to increased carbon emissions.

Under the new Ontario Budget Measures Act (Bill 229, Section 6), conservation authorities’ powers were "narrowed" when it comes to assessing the environmental impacts of new projects and developments.

Environmental activists and conservation groups say they are devastated by the new laws, which they say will allow developers to "dump, build and excavate in high-risk areas" with a "fast-track" pass to issue permits as needed.

Bradford resident Alyssa Da Silva recently shared a petition created by the group Environmental Defence, on the ‘Welcome to Bradford’ Facebook Group page.

The petition calls for an updated EA and characterizes the bypass as a “destructive highway” which would destroy forests, farms, wetlands, rivers, and communities, all for the sake of saving drivers a few minutes on their commute home.

“If the province won’t take these threats seriously then we need the federal government to step in,” reads part of the petition.

The posting sparked debate among Bradford residents. Although Da Silva’s post was removed after an hour, many residents weighed in with their opinions  some agreeing with the petition’s statements, while others emphasized the need for the new east-west link.

Bradford resident Amanda Monteiro, who agreed with Da Silva, shared her comment that “people don’t realize they need the environment to survive” – but apparently misunderstood the location of the proposed link, presuming that it would negatively impact Holland Marsh farmland.

Holland Marsh Growers Association executive director Jody Mott suggested the group’s description was misleading, and acknowledged she had received several phone calls earlier in the day regarding the impacts the highway would have on the marsh.

'It’s at the edge of the marsh'

“It’s not going through the Holland Marsh (polder area, or low-lying tract of land); it’s at the edge of the marsh,” said Mott, noting the highway does not impact protected agricultural land south of Line 8 in Bradford.

"The Bradford bypass is a needed piece of infrastructure that is strongly supported by our farmers," Mott added. "It is incorrect to say it runs through the Holland Marsh proper."

Growers have been working with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure that all concerns are addressed, she said, including environmental worries.

"We know what we need to do in our area to fix the traffic congestion, to get our products to market," Mott said. 

As shown in the map, which can be viewed here, the Holland Marsh area in question includes the portion of the marsh lying to the south of Cook's Bay on Lake Simcoe, an area that already includes some development, housing and a golf course.

But Da Silva pointed out it is still wetland.

“If you look at the map of where that marsh starts – at the base of the bay – it’s all wetlands and marsh,” Da Silva said. “Authorities still consider that a ‘wetland’… it’s where the ‘mouth’ of the marsh begins.”

She added her original intention for sharing the petition was to create awareness among residents of the full impacts of the new highway plans. She is neither affiliated with any environmental group nor an activist, but rather a concerned “born and raised” resident of Bradford West Gwillimbury, she said.

“I wanted to bring attention on environmental oversight which is being dismantled,” said Da Silva. “Institutions that are supposed to protect long-term survival of our natural environments are being stripped of their rights. There needs to be a balancing act.”

Da Silva said many community members share her concerns about “rules being bent” to make developments happen that will negatively affect the environment.

“The government is adjusting regulations to get projects squeezed out,” she said. “I understand the need for progress, but I feel this can be done in a way that respects the community members. With solid planning and community involvement, we can work together to have a functioning town without the bottleneck traffic.”

Bradford resident and local farmer Jason Verkaik, owner of Carron Farms, also chimed in. 

“We already have a highway going through the Holland Marsh proper – it’s the 400 highway!” Verkaik wrote on Facebook. “Farms are still accessible. The highway is access for farmers to get their produce to the markets.

"As the town grows in population, it’s just the nature of how politics works," he added. 

Verkaik suggested the bypass is something Bradford and the surrounding areas need to accommodate population growth and mitigate traffic problems, adding it “makes logical sense.”

“Everyone knows what the Holland Marsh is and what it provides,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you put a highway, you’re going to have to balance the environment no matter what, especially during these hypersensitive times.”

Bradford resident Liz Gorzo-Toffelmire argued construction of the Bradford bypass would allow for less congestion on Highways 400 and 88, and on Canal Road, giving the transports better route options, especially east of Yonge Street.

“The Bradford bypass was never planned to go through the Holland Marsh,” said Gorzo-Toffelmire, a life-long resident who lives on a farm off Canal Road. “Since I was a kid, for decades families used Canal Road as a thoroughfare to get to cottages.

"The bypass is a much-needed route to lessen the need for people to use Canal Road and 88 as a drive-through to get from west 400 to east (Keswick/Georgina)," she added. 

Gorzo-Toffelmire also remembered the "nightmare" collision of a few years ago on Highway 400, just north of Canal Road, that had many motorists trapped in their vehicles.

“Everyone was stuck trying to get home. It took me three-plus hours to get from Green Lane and Yonge to my farm on Canal Road… There was no other road to reroute traffic going north. All the roads in and around the marsh were filled with cars," she said. 

An alternate route is needed, especially if the Holland Marsh polder ever faces flooding of the scope caused by Hurricane Hazel, Gorzo-Toffelmire said.

'This is a critical piece of infrastructure,' says mayor

In an effort to clarify the situation, Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer released a statement shortly after Environmental Defence’s petition began circulating online.

“This is a critical piece of infrastructure, and the need for the Highway 400-404 Connecting Link (also known as the Bradford bypass) has been definitively proven through extensive public consultation as well as technical studies," he said. "As a farmer and conservationist, I am confident the provincial government is undertaking all due diligence, including some 15 environmental studies that are being done in order to update the EA.”

York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney’s office shared a similar statement regarding the bypass and EA.

“For decades, commuters in York Region and Simcoe County have been demanding a connecting link between Highways 400 and 404. The Bradford bypass will bring relief to drivers, support development in York Region and Simcoe County, and bolster Ontario’s economy following this pandemic.

"Ontario is updating the almost 50-year-old Environmental Assessment Act and is committed to building a strong program that considers the input of local communities," Mulroney added. 

A Mulroney spokesperson added the government's goal is to "streamline processes, without changing their outcomes."

"As such, environmental protections will not be compromised. A new streamlined process for assessing and consulting on potential environmental impacts will result in shorter timelines and allow for construction to start earlier. By working smarter, we will build important infrastructure for communities faster," the spokesperson said. 

To learn more about the Bradford bypass project, visit www.bradfordbypass.ca.