Transportation and Economic Conditions Revised Draft Overview
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GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions PREFACE The draft GTA West Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions Report (July 2008) is one of several interim reports which depicts the study process culminating in the Transportation Development Strategy. The draft GTA West Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions Report (July 2008) was made available publicly to solicit comments and receive input on the information contained herein. A summary of input received on the draft document is provided in the table contained in Appendix A – Part 1, Summary of Comments; and a summary of the proposed revisions to the draft document is provided in Appendix A – Part 2, Summary of Revisions. Part 1 has been organized categorically to identify the author of comments, specific section of the document on which the comment is based, the responses and proposed actions planned/taken. Part 2 summarizes the proposed revisions to specific sections of the draft document and has been organized by chapter. The proposed revisions to the draft document have not been incorporated into the revised draft report material therefore Appendix A – Part 2 should be consulted when reading the report. GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions Overview of Study Process The GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment is being undertaken in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), and the GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference (June 2007 as amended July 2007). The EA is being conducted in two stages, consistent with the process outlined in the ToR. These two stages are shown in Exhibit O-1 and Exhibit O-2. Exhibit O-1 GTA West Corridor EA – Stage 1 Exhibit O-2 GTA West Corridor EA – Stage 2 Stage 1 of the GTA West EA, as illustrated in Exhibit O-3, consists of three phases: the EA Terms of Reference; the Area Transportation System Planning; and the Preliminary Planning. Also shown in the exhibit are the study steps, the technical work required, the consultation milestones, the documentation and an indication of the study progress within Stage 1 of the EA process. These are described as follows: December 2010 Page I GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions Exhibit O-3 GTA West Corridor EA – Stage 1 Process December 2010 Page II GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions EA TERMS OF REFERENCE The EA Terms of Reference, along with the Consultation Record, has been completed and was approved by the Minister of Environment in March 2008. It details the project organization, the consultation and outreach program and the project schedule. AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLANNING The Area Transportation System Planning contains two key steps: (1) Identify Problems and Opportunities and Screen the Modal Alternatives to the Undertaking; and (2) Assemble Combination Alternatives to the Undertaking and Assessment Process. Identify Problems and Opportunities and Screen the Modal Alternatives to the Undertaking The process of “Identifying Problems and Opportunities” includes an overview of transportation, land use, economic and environmental conditions; an assessment of future travel demands, deficiencies and area transportation system needs; and an identification of Area Transportation System Problems and Opportunities. The outcome of these study tasks will be two overview reports (Working Papers #1 and #2) and the Area Transportation System Problems and Opportunities Report (Working Paper #3). In preparing the final reports for these working papers, public consultation including PIC #2 will take place (scheduled for Fall 2008) to provide members of the public an opportunity to review and comment on the draft reports. The screening of the modal Alternatives to the Undertaking requires identifying Area Transportation System Alternatives (TSA) (e.g. Local/Inter-Regional Transit, Municipal Roads and Provincial Highways/Transitways) and determining the degree to which these individual TSAs address Problems and Opportunities. The individual TSAs that do address the Problems and Opportunities will proceed to further consideration along with combined TSAs that are described below. The individual TSAs that fail to address the Problems and Opportunities will be set aside but may be considered as a part of combined alternatives. The process and results will be documented in Working Paper #4: Area Transportation System Alternatives. The outcome of this process will also be presented for public input through the PIC #2 process. Assemble Combination Alternatives to the Undertaking and Assessment Process The process of assembling the “Combination Alternatives to the Undertaking” and assessment process begins by selecting and defining the individual TSAs identified in the previous study task and assembling them into Combination Alternatives to the Undertaking (e.g. combining New / Expanded Non-Road Infrastructure with Optimizing the Network). Similar to the consideration of individual TSAs, the degree to which the Combination Alternatives address the Problems and Opportunities will be assessed and will be the basis for the selection of the Preferred Alternative / Combination that will proceed to Preliminary Planning. The outcome of these study tasks will be Working Paper #4: Area Transportation System Alternatives. In preparing the final working paper, public consultation including PIC #3 will take place (scheduled for Spring 2009) to provide members of the public an opportunity to review and comment on the draft report. December 2010 Page III GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions PRELIMINARY PLANNING Following the Area Transportation System Planning, Preliminary Planning will begin with an assessment of the Alternatives to the Undertaking (Area Transportation System Alternatives). The detailed elements of the alternatives will be generated and an evaluation of the alternatives will provide a basis to the selection of the Preferred Preliminary Planning Alternatives. The implementation of these will be collectively known as the Transportation Development Strategy. This will lead to the recommendation of specific transportation projects in the Transportation Development Strategy and will be documented in the Transportation Needs Assessment Report. In preparing the final report, public consultation including PIC #4 will take place (scheduled for Fall 2009) to provide members of the public an opportunity to review and comment on the draft report. The final study task in this stage of the EA, Selection of Alternatives To, involves identifying transportation projects that fall under the jurisdiction of MTO which can proceed to Stage 2 of the EA; and identifying projects that fall outside the jurisdiction of MTO which will be referred to the appropriate agency or jurisdiction for further review and action. December 2010 Page IV GTA West Corridor Planning & Environmental Assessment Study Revised Draft Overview of Transportation and Economic Conditions TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PRELIMINARY STUDY AREA AND AREA OF INFLUENCE ........................ 4 1.3 STUDY PURPOSE................................................................................................. 8 2. OVERVIEW OF RELEVANT FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL POLICIES ..........................................................................................................................9 2.1 POLICY CONTEXT.............................................................................................. 9 2.2 FEDERAL POLICY............................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 "Straight Ahead – A Vision for Transportation in Canada" ....................... 9 2.3 PROVINCIAL POLICY......................................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Provincial Policy Statement........................................................................ 9 2.3.2 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe....................................... 11 2.3.3 The Greenbelt Plan ................................................................................... 12 2.3.4 Ontario – Quebec Continental Gateway and Trade Corridor ................... 14 2.4 MUNICIPAL POLICY......................................................................................... 14 2.4.1 County of Wellington Official Plan.......................................................... 15 2.4.2 City of Guelph Official Plan..................................................................... 15 2.4.3 Region of Halton Official Plan ................................................................. 16 2.4.4 Region of Peel Official Plan ..................................................................... 17 2.4.5 Region of York Official Plan.................................................................... 18 3. DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE "AREA