Doug Ford needs to cancel plans for Holland Marsh Highway

November 8, 2021

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to the government's Holland Marsh Highway (Bradford Bypass) press conference this morning

QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to the government’s Holland Marsh Highway (Bradford Bypass) press conference this morning:

“I’m calling on Doug Ford to put the climate, environment and people’s health first and cancel plans for the Holland Marsh Highway.

The highway would pump almost 87 million kilograms of GHG emissions into the air each year. Urban planning research has long shown that more highways create more congestion, traffic and emissions through induced demand. We need to crush climate pollution, not create more.

And according to the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition, the four-lane highway would negatively impact over 17 hectares of the Holland Marsh, 39 hectares of wildlife habitat, 11 hectares of designated provincially significant wetlands and cut through 27 waterways. We need to protect Lake Simcoe, not threaten it.

The 2014 Ministry of Transportation report showed that there are much less environmentally destructive alternatives that will meet the region’s transportation needs. But Ford would rather force through this environmentally damaging highway that would cost $1.5 billion.

Last week’s budget sent a clear sign: Doug Ford thinks the road to recovery from COVID-19 should pave over farmland, supercharge sprawl and pump more climate pollution into the air.

Ontario Greens have a better idea. Investing in transit and building affordable and livable communities that crush climate pollution. It’s time to make smart choices that not only protect nature but also improve the health of Ontarians.”

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