Ottawa and Ontario announce deal to scrap Highway 413 impact assessment

Ontario and the federal government say they have reached a deal to drop a federal assessment of the province’s Highway 413 project after the Federal Court ruled it can be set aside.

“Through the agreement announced today, both Ontario and Canada have agreed to a collaborative process to assess and manage the issues around federal species at risk throughout Ontario’s planning of the project,” the province said in a news release on Monday.

The provincial and federal governments filed a joint consent order with the Federal Court, asking the judge to set aside the project’s designation under the Impact Assessment Act. The Federal Court has agreed, according to the release.

The release says a memo of understanding has been signed between the Ontario transportation ministry and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and the federal and Ontario governments have set up a joint working group in which officials from both levels of government “will recommend appropriate measures to minimize environmental impacts in areas of federal environmental jurisdiction.”