Two governments agree to set up working group to mitigate effects of planned Toronto-area highway on endangered species
The federal government has signed a deal to work with Ontario to find ways to mitigate the effects of the province’s planned Highway 413 on endangered species, effectively putting a final nail in Ottawa ’s opposition to the province’s controversial megaproject.
The deal announced Monday will see the two governments set up a working group to “recommend appropriate measures to minimize environmental impacts in areas of federal environmental jurisdiction,” Ottawa and Ontario said in a statement., launched by Ontario, over whether Ottawa had overstepped when it designated Highway 413 for a federal review under its Impact Assessment Act – legislation the Supreme Court of Canada found had strayed too far into provincial jurisdiction in a ruling last October.
Steven Guilbeault, the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said in a statement that the deal shows the two governments can work together. He said it would ensure “federal interests will be maintained on the protection of species” while offering Ontario “clarity” as it seeks to go ahead with Highway 413.
The planned highway, rejected by the previous provincial Liberal government, was a key plank in the Ford government’s 2022 election campaign, opposed by the opposition NDP and Liberals. But progress had slowed after the federal government earmarked the project for a potentially lengthy environmental review.
Government Province Ottawa Ontario Deal Species Jurisdiction Supreme Court Of Canada NDP Doug Ford
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