A quick update to all of you, and a big thank you for your support in making sure this project is properly relocated to a much more applicable location away from a residential neighbourhood. With almost 7,500 signatories, this is a cause worth fighting for.
What is STILL NEEDED:
Since the last update a lot has happened regarding this proposal. As you know we did get yet another extension on submissions to the Environmental Ministry until July 23rd. If you haven't sent in comments please do so as soon as possible. The links for comments are here:
ERO submission 1444 and/or
Traffic Study:
The proponent has completed a traffic report (located here). Traffic Study
Unfortunately this study, (unlike the one requested by the City) only focuses on traffic patterns, and does not consider the environmental, health, noise or safety risks from the significantly increased truck traffic.
Our team is still evaluating this report, but an initial assessment shows a few concerns. - Most of the incoming truck waste (the putrescible rotting waste) will be arriving between 6pm and 6am every night. That will include the normal truck noise and backup alarms every 20 minutes or so for those closest to the plant.
A quick assessment shows 41 large trucks arriving with waste between 6pm and 6am (and leaving about 20 minutes later), 24 trucks arriving with waste between 6am and 6pm (and leaving about 20 minutes later), with an additional 30 trucks arriving sometime during the day.
That means almost 100 trucks will be arriving (and then leaving for 200 trips per day on the residential roads) all hours of the day and night.
It is unclear how many trucks on average leave Coronation drive to either Manse or Beechgrove, but utilizing the data reported between a count on Oct 22 2014 between 7:30 am or 6pm showed 47 and 40 truck trips utilizing those routes during that timeframe. There is no data for the after hours truck traffic, but it is expected to be significantly lower.
Assuming this is correct, we can assess that an average of 108 truck trips will be added to one of these two routes, so effectively doubling the total truck traffic during daytime hours.
Further details are needed to assess overnight truck traffic, but very little traffic is currently observed on these routes, so it is expected that the overnight traffic will be 200-500% increase for large trucks.
Some Good News:
Recently it seems that the Ford Government has lived up to their commitment to give local municipalities more say in local issues, which was part of their commitment in repealing the Green Energy Act during the election. One such example was given this week by the Minster of the Environment in giving Ingersoll Ontario the ability to overturn a landfill application (although our issue is not identical, the concerns are still as meaningful to our community). This listening and allowing local communities a say in what occurs in their neighbourhoods is indeed a good sign. More details are here. Ontario Government listens to local concerns
What else can you do?
The main approval for this project is still through the ECA process (Environmental Compliance Approval). We believe there is much more than an environmental concern with this project. Part of it of course is with the significant increase in truck traffic through our residential neighbourhood. Additionally there are significant health issues with this project, the below map shows this region with noxious gases already in the environment. A close look from the 2018 chemtrac (A city of Toronto report) shows that this neighbourhood has the HIGHEST toxic emissions in all of Toronto, and this is before the additional emissions being proposed by this facility.
Please write to our premier, Doug Ford at Premier Doug Ford
(or email at premier@ontario.ca) and also please copy the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks at jeff.yurek@pc.ola.org
Please ask both Jeff and Doug to help Scarborough and to listen to the local constituents, reject this application and find a more application location for this project.