Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto ETOBICOKE-FINCH WEST LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT REPORT MARCH 2010 Delcan Corporation FINAL REPORT Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report Table of Contents 4. PREFERRED PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION ............................................... 4-1 4.1 Toronto Environmental Plan ................................................................................................................................. 4-1 1. INTRODUCTION AND STUDY PROCESS ................................................................................................... 1-1 4.2 Environmental Benefits of LRT ............................................................................................................................. 4-1 1.1 Study Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................... 1-1 4.3 Transportation Impacts ......................................................................................................................................... 4-2 1.2 Study Area ............................................................................................................................................................. 1-1 4.3.1 Transit Impacts 4-2 1.3 The Transit Project Assessment Process (2008) ................................................................................................ 1-2 4.3.2 Traffic Impacts 4-2 1.3.1 Environmental Project Report 1-3 4.4 Natural Environment .............................................................................................................................................. 4-3 1.3.2 Transit Project Assessment Approvals 1-3 4.4.1 Vegetation and Vegetation Communities 4-3 1.3.3 Finch West LRT Pre-Planning Activities 1-3 4.4.2 Aquatic Habitat and Communities 4-3 1.4 Study Organization ................................................................................................................................................ 1-4 4.4.3 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat 4-4 4.4.4 Designated Natural Areas 4-5 1.5 Background and Context ...................................................................................................................................... 1-4 4.4.5 Geotechnology 4-5 1.5.1 Provincial Planning Policies 1-4 4.4.6 Contaminated Soils 4-7 1.5.2 City of Toronto Planning Policies 1-5 4.4.7 Stormwater 4-7 1.5.3 TTC Policies 1-10 4.4.8 Air Quality 4-7 1.5.4 AdditIonal related Studies 1-11 4.5 Socio-Economic Environment .............................................................................................................................. 4-7 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 4.5.1 Land Use 4-7 2.1 Background Studies .............................................................................................................................................. 2-1 4.5.2 Noise and Vibration 4-8 2.1.1 Technology Selection 2-1 4.5.3 Property 4-9 2.2 Design Criteria ....................................................................................................................................................... 2-4 4.5.4 Economic Impacts 4-10 2.2.1 Transit Elements 2-4 4.6 Cultural Environment Impacts ............................................................................................................................ 4-10 2.2.2 Road Elements 2-4 4.6.1 Archaeology 4-10 2.2.3 Urban Design 2-5 4.6.2 Cultural Heritage 4-11 2.2.4 Typical Cross Sections 2-5 4.7 Summary of Preferred Project Net Effects ......................................................................................................... 4-11 2.2.5 Stop Spacing 2-10 5. FUTURE COMMITMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 5-1 2.2.6 Stop Locations 2-10 5.1 Property Acquisition .............................................................................................................................................. 5-1 2.3 Development of Preferred Design ...................................................................................................................... 2-10 2.3.1 Rapid Transit Interfaces 2-10 5.2 During Design ......................................................................................................................................................... 5-1 2.3.2 Highway 400 Crossing between Jane Street and Weston Road 2-16 5.3 During Construction .............................................................................................................................................. 5-2 2.3.3 Humber College terminus 2-18 5.4 During Operation .................................................................................................................................................... 5-2 2.4 Preferred Design.................................................................................................................................................. 2-20 5.5 On-Going Consultation .......................................................................................................................................... 5-2 2.4.1 Track Alignment 2-20 5.6 Utility Co-ordination ............................................................................................................................................... 5-2 2.4.2 Rapid Transit Interface 2-20 6. PERMITS AND APPROVALS ........................................................................................................................ 6-1 2.4.3 LRT Stops and Stations 2-27 6.1 Federal Environmental Assessment (CEAA) ....................................................................................................... 6-1 2.4.4 Structures 2-29 7. CONSULTATION PROCESS ............................................................................................................................ 1 2.4.5 Special Trackwork 2-29 7.1 External Agencies ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.5 Electrical Substations ......................................................................................................................................... 2-29 7.1.1 Method of Consultation 1 2.6 Property Requirements ....................................................................................................................................... 2-29 7.1.2 Summary of Comments 1 2.7 Funding ........................................................................................................................................................... 2-30 7.2 General Public ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 3. EXISTING AND FUTURE CONDITIONS ....................................................................................................... 3-1 7.2.1 Methods of Consultation 11 3.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................................................... 3-1 7.2.2 Summary of comments 12 3.1.1 Transportation 3-1 7.3 Aboriginal Communities ......................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.2 Natural Environment 3-3 7.3.1 Method of Consultation 13 3.1.3 Socio-Economic Environment 3-9 7.3.2 Summary of Comments 13 3.1.4 Noise and Vibration 3-10 7.3.3 Commitments 13 3.1.5 Cultural Environment 3-11 7.4 Public Review Period/Notice of Completion ......................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Future Conditions ................................................................................................................................................ 3-14 7.5 Project Approval – TTC/City ................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2.1 Transportation 3-14 7.6 Statement of Completion ........................................................................................................................................ 14 3.2.2 Natural Environment 3-15 8. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................ 8-1 3.2.3 Socio-Economic Environment 3-15 3.2.4 Cultural Environment 3-16 Delcan Corporation FINAL REPORT Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report LIST OF EXHIBITS 3-13 CFIA Asian Longhorned Beetle Regulated Area………………………………………………………...3-8 1-1 Study Area ......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 3-14 Predicted Existing Daytime and Nighttime Traffic Noise Levels ...................................................... 3-10 1-2 Transit Project Assessment Process ................................................................................................