This has gone out via email and social media to most of our supporters, but here, just in case…
The Parkway Corridor Environmental Assessment has now been completed. The City can now proceed with building this new four-lane road through the green corridor and Jackson Park, unless we write letters before March 24th to the Minister of Environment and convince him that a better, more balanced and complete individual environmental assessment must be done.
Now is your best opportunity to be heard by an independent, environmentally-oriented decision maker.
Here is what you can do:
1. Write a letter detailing your views of the Parkway EA process and any concerns you might have. If you have technical background, mention your credentials and detail your thoughts.
Key things to consider in your letter to help convince the Minister:
- you request the Minister of Environment to issue a Part II Order to require a full, individual environmental assessment under section 16 of the Environmental Assessment Act;
- whether the need and timing for the proposed Parkway has been demonstrated;
- whether your and public concerns about the environmental assessment, including any earlier comments, have been fully addressed;
- whether all of the alternative options to building the Parkway road (e.g. routes, non-road options) have been fully considered and properly evaluated;
- whether you think that there are significant environmental effects or costs from building the Parkway road and bridge and whether these effects have been fully mitigated or costs fully accounted;
- whether you have any concerns with the environmental assessment process for the Parkway;
- whether you have specific concerns about the design, route or impacts of the Parkway.
2. The Peterborough Greenspace Coalition remains concerned about the ESR. The concerns include: how the study problem was defined, the lack of full consideration of other transportation and technical options, the study process (including its evaluations and responses to many public concerns), the modeling that was carried out to rationalize a future potential “need”, and the immense costs and marginal benefits, among others. You have seen our concerns on this website.
3. See for yourself. The final Environmental Study Report (ESR) has a shorter Executive Summary starting in the Report’s Chapter 1. You don’t need to read it all or be an expert. You likely live here, know and use the area, and may have thoughts if you have followed the process.
See the large ESR plus technical appendices at the Library or City Hall Clerk’s Office. Or go on to the City’s website and then look at the bottom of the list of Parkway EA reports at:
http://www.peterborough.ca/Business/Studies/Parkway_Corridor_EA/Reports.htm
4. Mail and email your letter to reach BOTH the Minister and the City Clerk by March 24, and copy the Peterborough Greenspace Coalition.
Honourable Jim Bradley
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley Street West
11th Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2T5
eaabgen.moe@ontario.ca
City Clerk
Office of the City Clerk
City of Peterborough
500 George Street
Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3R9
clerk@peterborough.ca
Given this matter affects the relationship between the City and the Province, you might want to send a copy to Jeff Leal our Provincial MPP.
Constituency Office
236 King Street, Peterborough, ON K9J 7L8
Tel » 705.742.3777 · Fax » 705.742.1822
Email » jleal.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Please, send a copy to us at the Peterborough Greenspace Coalition:
petbogreencoalition@gmail.com
5. Please tell (and remind) your friends, family, neighbours and co-workers about this last opportunity to have a say on approval of the Parkway. Share this on email, social media, and through your networks.
This is an important issue for our community. Thanks for being engaged in planning for our city’s future!
Peterborough Greenspace Coalition
The Greenspace Coalition is hard at work on their own request for a Part II Order, however, it is important that the Minister of the Environment gets many requests to show the support of the community.
