With a final decision about CN’s proposal expected from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change by September 23, the Halton Municipalities are calling on the community to join in urging the Federal Government to refuse approval of CN’s proposed truck-rail hub in Milton. The truck-rail hub site is adjacent to a thriving residential community in Milton and if it proceeds, it would result in 1,600 truck trips daily on local roads. On January 27, the Federal Review Panel released its report on the CN proposal concluding that CN’s proposed truck-rail hub in Milton is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on air quality and human health.
“If the Federal Government approves this project, they are sending a message that the health and safety of Halton residents is worth risking,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “This project should not go forward given the findings of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. We are concerned that this is only the start—CN has not disclosed their plans for the other 800 acres they own in Milton and any future expansion would increase the effects on health, traffic, safety and the environment. ”
The Panel identified six potentially significant adverse effects on human and environmental health as well as a risk for at least 16 additional potentially adverse effects, including the impact of noise on residential communities. The Panel recommended 200 mitigation measures to avoid significant adverse effects, but the Federal Government cannot enforce the majority of these. If these measures cannot be enforced, they will never be implemented to protect the public.
“It just doesn’t make sense that a site of this scale, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, should be built within one kilometer of 34,000 current and future residents, 12 schools, two long-term care homes and one hospital in Milton,” said Milton Mayor Gord Krantz. “We need our community to speak out on this so the Federal Government knows we do not want this truck-rail hub in the proposed location.”
Residents are encouraged to act now and make their voices heard by:
- calling or emailing their Member of Parliament (external link) to tell them that the health of Halton families matter;
- submitting comments directly to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada before August 21 by using the link on halton.ca/cn;
- signing the online petition (external link) posted by Milton Says No and Milton R.A.I.L. and joining others in your community in the fight against CN’s proposal by August 16; and
- being a part of the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #sayNO2CNhub and following @RegionofHalton.
To view our latest video (YouTube video) about the CN proposal or to learn more about the Halton Municipalities’ position on this project, please visit halton.ca/cn.
The Regional Municipality of Halton serves 580,000 residents in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville. Halton Region is committed to meeting the needs of its residents through the delivery of cost-effective, quality programs and services, including water and wastewater; Regional roads and planning; paramedic services; waste management; public health; social assistance; children’s and seniors’ services; housing services; heritage programs; emergency management and economic development. For more information, call 311 or visit Halton Region’s website at halton.ca.