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Erin WWTP: Follow-up on 18 February 2021 questions to Town of Erin Mayor and Town Council, Joint

West Credit River Brook Trout. Photo by Steve Noakes.

The Coalition for the West Credit River is following up on our previous correspondence dated 18 February 2021 as we have not yet received a response to our questions that were laid out as a precursor to a meeting with Council. Please let us know when we can expect answers to our questions so we can move forward with scheduling a meeting. 

Also, on 25 February 2021, the Coalition filed a Designation Request with The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, under Subsection 9(1) of the Impact Assessment Act. We have since received acknowledgement that the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has commenced the review of our request, and that “If designated, to proceed with the Project, the Town of Erin would be required to submit an Initial Project Description, thereby commencing the planning phase of the IAA. In that case, the planning phase would include the Agency determining whether a federal impact assessment is required.” 

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Canada Water Agency – Discussion Paper

ORA supports objectives that involve clean, healthy, safe and sustainable freshwater management. Our lakes and rivers flow across many borders, including municipal, regional, provincial and country-wide borders. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a Canada Water Agency that uses an integrated watershed and basin approach in its core mission and mandate, acting as an oversight agency.

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Media Release: Wastewater Treatment Plant Spells Doom for West Credit Brook Trout – Request for a federal review under the Impact Assessment Act

The Coalition for the West Credit River is calling on Johnathan Wilkinson, (Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada) for a federal review of the Environmental Study Report (ESR) for the Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant (Erin WWTP), under the Impact Assessment Act.

The Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant (Erin WWTP) will discharge over 7 million litres of effluent daily, releasing a toxic plume of chloride, ammonia and decreased oxygen into the West Credit River, directly upstream of native Brook Trout spawning nursery and habitat, and endangered Redside Dace.

Please sign the Cut the Crap, Keep the Credit petition.

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Erin WWTP: Designation Request for a federal review under the Impact Assessment Act

West Credit River, by Steve Noakes.

The West Credit River subwatershed supports headwater tributaries of the Credit River and is considered the crown jewel of coldwater Brook Trout fisheries in southern Ontario. The entire footprint of the Project, including the network of underground sewers, will result in numerous crossings of first, second and third order streams. Additionally, the West Credit River feeds into the main Credit River at the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. This area is part of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve (Reserve), home to several sensitive fish species, including the endangered Redside Dace and Atlantic Salmon. Atlantic Salmon, historically extirpated, are being reintroduced as part of the broader Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Recovery Program. This Reserve is within 1 km downstream of the Project’s effluent discharge, and Redside Dace (Schedule 1, Species at Risk Act, 2002), are known to occupy the West Credit River within 4 km downstream of the effluent diffuser.

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ERO-019-2826, Statement of Environmental Values for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks

If the SEV is not being taken seriously now, why would we believe it will be taken seriously when this new SEV is adopted? The MECP should respect and fulfill its SEV in all areas of its purpose, which is its promise to Ontario taxpayers. Rather than focusing so heavily on the economy the MECP must apply its SEV in the protection and conservation of the environment. 

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Town of Erin Urban Center Wastewater Servicing Class Environmental Study Report, Joint

Thank you again for your invitation to meet. We very much welcome the opportunity to discuss our concerns with you and your representatives. Prior to scheduling our meeting, it would be more productive if you could address the questions below in writing. Our expectation is that your answers to the questions below will provide a framework for our meeting. Details of our concerns are outlined in the updated “Briefing Notes”- attached. 

The questions that follow do not represent all our questions and concerns; however, we would appreciate detailed answers to the following: 

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Add “Plastic Manufactured Items” to Schedule 1 of CEPA – Joint

Immediate action on plastics is necessary. The government’s Science Assessment on Plastic Pollution, referenced in the Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement, confirmed that plastic pollution is widespread in Canada, causing a range of adverse effects on wildlife and ecosystems. Furthermore, there is strong public support for federal action. Recent polling found that 95 per cent of Canadians are concerned about plastic pollution and 86 per cent support a federal ban on single-use plastics. Every day Canada fails to act, another 7,900 tonnes of plastic waste end up in our landfills and environment. 

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Bradford Bypass – Request for designation under s.9 of the Impact Assessment Act – Support

A highly controversial environmental assessment study under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act was completed 23 years ago. It concluded that the project would cause adverse effects to fish habitat including severe stormwater and groundwater impacts. The environmental assessment did not evaluate the impacts on species at risk, migratory birds or climate change. This study has not been updated. 

The provincial regulatory process is grossly inadequate.

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ERO-019-2811 – Planning Act provisions regarding enhanced Ministerial authority as part of a Minister’s Zoning Order – Joint

 We, the 70 undersigned organizations, are deeply concerned about both the “sharp increase” in the use of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) over the past year and the enhanced powers granted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing through amendments to the Planning Act, without public consultation, through Schedule 17 of Bill 197. 

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Coalition concerns over Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant

Our concerns are well documented in the attached Briefing Notes report, which has been prepared by our Coalition in the process of requesting a federal review under the Impact Assessment Act.

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