Dan O’Reily, one of the frontline fighters, who owns farmland which is just 1.5 kilometers away from the 413’s planned route. The property has been in his family since 1842, and expresses about the many memories he has on the property. Mr. O’Reily has been trying to create opposition by doing what he can, and by handing out flyers in hopes for a change. He says “If my father has held onto this all his life, and it wasn’t very easy for him, I don’t think I have the right to sell it” (Mahoney, 2022). There are many people like Mr. O’Reily trying to create opposition, and it is with empathy which can help create the opposition we need. 

Coming back a step, the Highway 413 is a project backed by the Ford’s government, in particular only the Progressive Conservative (PC) party, and is opposed by remaining political parties, New Democratic Party, Liberal Party, Green Party, etc.. Agreeing that Highway 413 is something most people oppose but is still in motion. The Progressive Conservative government is proposing a new highway part of the 400-series, connecting York, Peel Region and Hamilton, particularly from Highway 401 and Highway 407’s intersection, to Highway 400 (Ontario PC, 2021). 

Though the highway does provide the economy with great benefits, it makes a significant impact on the environment. In particular, the highway is expected to release about 17 tons of greenhouse gas emission by 2050 (Environmental Defense, n.d.), with climate change already being in code red, the new highway wouldn’t help, but worsen our already limited circumstances. Plus, the planned route of the new highway is expected to take about 400 acres of the Green belt, which is land set aside by the government that was marked to be significant and important to keep well maintained. Being full of farmlands, wetlands, animal habitats, and heritage sites of the Mississauga Credit First Nations (Kichin, 2021). The route is also expected to cut through a total of 85 rivers and streams destroying the natural order of water flow, and is expected to destroy animal habitats of already endangered species, some include the Redside Dace, and the Chorus Frog (Kitchin, 2021). Sadfully, the consequences on the environment planned by the government can be listed even further, revealing how much damage the highway can be if set in motion.

On the other hand, Premier Ford claims that research shows the new highway would reduce travel time by 30 mins each drive, plus this would reduce congestion in the rapidly growing population and economy of the Greater Horseshoe Area (AECOM, 2021). Contriverally, research has also shown that the highway would only fight congestion temporarily, and states that the government can’t produce enough roads to fight the future congestion. Plus, it states that adding more roads would only increase the already existing congestion (Mclntosh, 2021), proving this project comes with nothing but negative consequences to the population and its environment.

Factably, Highway 413 was never meant for what the government was telling us, but to help improve the economy and lessen the work for industries, while disregarding the urgency of taking care of our environment. Now that the Progressive Conservative party has gained a majority in the recent June 2nd election, there is a greater risk of the highway being put into motion. 

Desperately, we are calling upon anyone and everyone who can lend a hand to support people like Mr.O’Reily, and to payback to the environment for what is given us for millennials before it's too late. Signing this petition, by taking time to do something so little, would help oppose Highway 413, and would help all the animals and forests which are at risk due to this project. 

Again, please sign this petition, we, the animals, the forests, mother nature, the people, all need this little favor.

Reference                                                                                                         AECOM. “Transportation Corridor Route Planning & Environmental Assessment Study, Phase 2.” Highway 413, 2021. https://www.highway413.ca/

Environmental Defense. “Stop the 413.” Environmental Defence, n.d. https://environmentaldefence.ca/stop-the-413-3/

Kitchin, Rachel. “413(Ish) Reasons Why Building Highway 413 Is a Very Bad Idea.” Environmental Defence, November 9, 2021. https://environmentaldefence.ca/2021/11/09/413ish-reasons-why-building-highway-413-is-a-very-bad-idea/

Mahoney, Jill. “Highway 413 Is Proposed to Carve through Farmland in Caledon, Ont., Reversing Years of Effort to Contain Sprawl, Critics Say.” The Globe and Mail, May 31, 2022. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-highway-413-is-proposed-to-carve-through-farmland-in-caledon-ont/

Mclntosh, Emma. “Everything You Need to Know about Doug Ford’s Controversial Plans for New Highways in Ontario.” The Narwhal, November 8, 2021. https://thenarwhal.ca/highway-413-bradford-bypass-explainer/

Ontario PC Party. “Only Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs Will Build Highway 413.” PC Party of Ontario, May 4, 2022. https://ontariopc.ca/only-doug-ford-and-the-ontario-pcs-will-build-highway-413/#:~:text=PEEL%20REGION%2C%20May%204%2C%202022

WWF. “Tree-Clearing Kills 87 Million Animals in NSW.” WWF Australia, November 8, 2018. https://www.wwf.org.au/news/news/2018/tree-clearing-kills-87-million-animals-in-nsw