Newmarket councillors will have a great opportunity this afternoon (Monday 6 December 2021) to quiz leading opponents of the controversial Bradford Bypass. 

Claire Malcolmson from Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and Bill Foster from FROGS will tell councillors the project needs a full environmental assessment – something rejected by the Province which is relying on one carried out 24 years ago in 1997.

But the Coalition and others say the studies are out of date. What is needed is a Federal Impact Assessment – but this was ruled out in May 2021 by the then Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson.

Ignored

The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition has been in touch with Newmarket-Aurora’s Liberal MP, Tony Van Bynen, but he has not responded to three requests to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, the Province is pressing ahead, determined to complete what it sees as a flagship policy.

The Bradford Bypass is a huge issue and councillors owe it to their Newmarket constituents to get involved and ask penetrating questions of the deputations.

The case for Road and the case for Rail

Just "receiving" the deputations without comment - as so often happens - would be a massive slap in the face to all the environmental organisations who have real concerns about the project and the process that is being followed.

Tomorrow, East Gwillimbury Council will consider a staff report on plans from Metrolinx to run a 15-minute all-day two-way GO Train service up to Bradford.

But for Doug Ford and his developer friends the Bradford Bypass is clearly their top priority.

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Update at 4.45pm on 6 December 2021: Earlier this afternoon Newmarket councillors backed calls for a new Environmental Assessment of the Bradford Bypass project. This is a big shot in the arm for the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and other environmental groups. More to follow.