Halton Mayors Discuss CN Intermodal with Federal Officials

Halton Mayors met with federal government officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Transport Minister Mark Garneau March 10, 2020.    Milton Mayor Gord Krantz, Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed-Ward, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton spoke at a media conference in Ottawa alongside Milton MP Adam van Koeverden to show a collective and strong voice on this issue. The Mayors also met with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, The Honourable Anita Anand.

“Today, the Halton Municipalities are in Ottawa to ensure Federal Cabinet understands that the health and safety of thousands of residents must guide their decision about CN’s proposed truck-rail hub,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr.  The finding of health risks is unprecedented.  The panel recommended 200 mitigation measures to avoid the risks, but the federal government is unable to enforce any of them.

“We are not saying no to the need for a truck-rail hub—we are saying the proposed site is the wrong location for this project,” said Milton Mayor Gord Krantz. “The proposed site is located within one kilometer of approximately 34,000 current and future residents, one hospital, 12 schools and two long-term care homes.”

The cabinet will consider whether the panel’s findings are justified.  Halton municipalities presented a five point argument against the project:

1. Any project that jeopardizes human health is too high a risk. The Federal Review Panel reached the unprecedented conclusion that the project is likely to cause significant effects on human health that cannot be mitigated.
2. The potential adverse impacts are more numerous than the Panel’s findings because the mitigation required to avoid those effects is not federally enforceable. This project will cause up to 16 additional significant adverse environmental effects (beyond the six identified by the Panel), including health effects on residential communities from noise, because mitigation required by the Panel to avoid such effects cannot be federally implemented or enforced.
3. There are other negative impacts to the local community and economy that have been entirely ignored. The Panel wrongly excluded from any assessment of significance a variety of effects on socio-economic conditions of concern to the Halton Municipalities that the Minister triggering the Panel review expressly required. One critical impact the Panel did not address is the negative impact on traffic congestion and Regional road infrastructure that would result from 1,600 truck trips daily to and from the proposed location.
4. The Panel wrongly endorsed CN’s position that all aspects of this project are immune or exempt from provincial and municipal regulation and standards.
5.  Questions about CN’s future plans in Milton:  The Halton Municipalities presented evidence that indicated the Brampton facility could be expanded to cover the entire projected container volumes for the proposed site in Milton.

The Halton Municipalities also have a meeting scheduled with  Environment and Climate Change Minister Johnathan Wilkinson later this month A decision by the Federal Government is expected by June 2020.

Residents are invited to attend a community event about CN’s proposal co-hosted by Milton MP Adam van Koeverden, Halton Region and the Town of Milton on Saturday, March 28 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Craig Kielburger Secondary School in Milton.

Halton Residents are invited to make their voices  heard on this important issue by emailing their MP or MPP email. Or they can also join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #sayNO2CNhub and tag them.