Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, and Dr. Scott Streiner, Chair of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), announced today the establishment of a three-member panel to review the proposed Milton Logistics Hub Project in Ontario.
The Minister has appointed Ms. Lesley Griffiths as the Chair of the Review Panel, and Dr. Isobel Heathcote and Mr. William McMurray as panel members. Mr. McMurray is also a member of the CTA and has been assigned by the Chair of the CTA to decide whether the proposed rail construction should be approved under section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act.
The Agreement to Establish a Joint Process for the Review of the Milton Logistics Hub Project, signed by the Minister and the Chair of the CTA, establishes the mandate and authority of the Panel, as well as the procedures and timelines for the conduct of the review.
Under the Agreement, the Panel will conduct an assessment of the environmental effects of the project; consider Aboriginal traditional knowledge, comments received from the public and mitigation measures; conclude whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse effects; and identify any follow-up programs required.
As part of the review, information will be gathered to assist the CTA in its assessment of the reasonableness of the location of the new railway lines, including with respect to the requirements for the railway operations and the interests of the localities that could be affected by the lines.
The Canadian National Railway Company is proposing the construction and operation of a logistics hub, designed to transfer containers between trucks and railcars. The project would include a railway yard with more than 20 km of track and be located in Milton, Ontario, about 50 km west of Toronto.
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