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One of the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act is the
preparation, submission and approval of a Terms of Reference before work begins
on an Environmental Assessment (EA). Once approved by the Minister of the Environment,
the Terms of Reference sets out a framework that will guide the preparation of the EA. Specifically,
it outlines the process for identifying: transportation planning/need, alternatives
to the undertaking, definition of an EA study area, the range and types of alternatives
to be considered, how they will be generated and evaluated, how impacts will be
assessed, and how the consultation process will be undertaken.
The approval of the Terms of Reference is the first statutory decision by the Minister of the Environment in the EA planning and approval process. As part of the formal submission/
approval process, the Terms of Reference is submitted to the Ministry of the Environment for public
and government agency comment and review.
In December 2004, York Region and the City of Vaughan, as co-proponents, submitted
the Terms of Reference for the Pine Valley Drive Transportation Corridor Individual
Environmental Assessment to the Ontario Minister of Environment for approval. The
Terms of Reference defined the purpose of the project as Å“to address the north-south transportation
deficiencies in the Pine Valley Drive Corridor Study Area.
The Minister approved the Terms of Reference with six amendments in February 2006. Among the amendments
was the requirement to study all transportation problems in the study area, as opposed
to only north-south deficiencies. In addition, the Minister excluded from consideration
any alternative proposed to be located through the Boyd Conservation Area.
The Western Vaughan Transportation Improvements Individual Environmental Assessment
Terms of Reference and Supporting
Documents are available for review (click on the links below to view these documents).
Western Vaughan Transportation Improvements
IEA Terms of Reference
Minister's Amendments to
the Terms of Reference
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