Environmental Impact Assessment Report

The Highway 413 Act, 2024 is legislation introduced as part of Bill 212 – Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024. The Highway 413 Act, 2024 creates a new process for assessing the environmental impacts of the Highway 413 Project. This process involves the publication of a draft and final Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), which includes a description of the studies completed, the assessment of impacts, proposed mitigation measures, and a record of consultation and engagement.

The requirements of the Highway 413 Act, 2024 build upon the considerable work completed to date, including environmental studies and ongoing consultation and engagement, that the Ministry of Transportation has undertaken to advance the work since the commencement of the Project which began in 2007.

Work on the Highway 413 Project began in 2007, and since then, more than 20 environmental and engineering disciplines have been thoroughly studied as part of the Preliminary Design and assessment of environmental impacts process. These investigations have included both hands-on fieldwork and detailed desktop research, as well as consultation and engagement.

To strengthen collaboration and inclusivity, Community Field Liaisons have been involved in the process. This initiative allows Indigenous communities to actively participate in field activities, providing them with opportunities for direct, on-site observation, ensuring that their perspectives and priorities are recognized and integrated into the Ministry of Transportation’s decision-making throughout the Project.

The environmental studies undertaken for the Highway 413 Project include:

• Fish and Fish Habitat
• Terrestrial Ecosystems
• Species-at-Risk
• Fluvial Geomorphology
• Surface and Groundwater
• Erosion and Sedimentation
• Navigable Waterways
• Landscape
• Archaeological Resources
• Built Heritage Resources and Cultural Heritage Landscapes
• Land Use
• Agricultural
• Contaminated Property and Waste
• Socio-Economic
• Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) Emissions
• Noise
• Climate Change
• Human Health
• Snowdrift

The built environment, engineering considerations, and existing and future infrastructure considered by the Highway 413 Project include:

• Geotechnical
• Public Transportation
• Surface Water and Drainage
• Freight and Commuter Rail
• Active Transportation
• Utilities
• Road Network
• Traffic Conditions

During Public Information Centre #2 held on September 19, September 26 and October 3, 2019, the Ministry of Transportation presented the Preferred Alignment for feedback. The ministry reviewed this feedback and worked diligently with Indigenous communities, advisory groups, municipal staff, agencies, and other stakeholders to establish the Preferred Alignment for Highway 413 and the transit corridor which was announced in August 2020.

Since then, the ministry has continued to advance the Preferred Alignment to develop the Preliminary Design based on the numerous studies completed for the Project and continued feedback.

Commuters may benefit from travel time savings up to 30 minutes for those travelling the full length of Highway 413 during rush hour.

Highway 413 will:

• Boost the movement of goods between key distribution centres and major highways like the 401, 427, 400, and 407 ETR.
• Ease traffic congestion by taking pressure off local roads, especially from heavy trucks.
• Enhance the highway network in the northwest Greater Toronto Area by supplementing and connecting with existing highway infrastructure.
• Improve access to communities with strategically positioned interchanges.
• Support faster emergency response by providing more direct routes for ambulances, fire trucks, and police.
• Connect with transit options through multiple carpool lots located at interchanges.

The draft EIAR outlines commitments for mitigation measures that will be carried forward to future design phases. During Detail Design and construction commitments made in the final EIAR will be implemented, including but not limited to:

• Obtaining required permits and approvals.
• Continuing consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, interest persons and stakeholders.
• Finalizing the highway design developed during the Preliminary Design phase.

During Detail Design there may be requirements for additional work, such as surveying; testing for soil conditions; environmental studies; determining exact construction material requirements; developing the design for the final implementation of the highway; and drafting construction documents for the purpose of building the new highway, interchanges, bridges, etc. As a result, the mitigation measures outlined in the EIAR may be updated and refined. Environmental mitigation identified during Preliminary Design and confirmed during Detail Design will be implemented during construction.

The Highway 413 Act, 2024 does not precluded the Highway 413 Project from obtaining environmental permits and approvals.

Some authorizations that may be required include but are not limited to:

• Fisheries Act, 1985, Authorization
• Species at Risk Act, 2002, Permit
• Ontario Water Resources Act, Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR)
• Endangered Species Act, 2007*
• Ontario Heritage Act

*The Species Conservation Act, 2025 was enacted as part of Bill 5 (Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2005) and should it come into force, would replace the Endangered Species Act, 2007. At the time of writing the Endangered Species Act, 2007 is still in force.

The Ministry of Transportation has a duty to consult, and where appropriate, accommodate Indigenous communities when contemplating actions that have the potential to adversely impact their credibly asserted or established Aboriginal and/or treaty rights. The ministry is also engaging Indigenous communities who are interested in the Preliminary Design of the Project. In addition, the Highway 413 Act, 2024 sets out the process for assessing potential environmental impacts of the Project, including the creation of an Indigenous Consultation Plan.

The ministry is currently consulting with:

• Alderville First Nation 
• Beausoleil First Nation 
• Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation 
• Chippewas of Rama First Nation 
• Curve Lake First Nation 
• Hiawatha First Nation 
• Huron Wendat Nation (also known as “Wendat Nation” or “Council of the Wendat Nation”) 
• Kawartha Nishnawbe 
• Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation 
• Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation 
• Oneida Nation of the Thames
• Six Nations Community
  • Six Nations of the Grand River’s Elected Council (“Six Nations of the Grand River”) and, 
  • Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council  

The Ministry of Transportation is also engaging with the Métis Nation of Ontario on an interest-basis.

The Highway 413 Project follows a comprehensive consultation program that welcomes engagement and feedback from the public, stakeholders, municipalities, and Indigenous communities through a suite of outreach methods. These include Ontario Government Notices, Public Information Centres (PICs), Community Workshops and Community Value Plan meetings, Project Website, Project Telephone Number (toll-free), Project Email, fact sheets and bulletins, Advisory Group meetings, presentations to municipal councils, meetings with municipal staff (workshops and issue specific sessions), meetings with technical stakeholders (workshops and issue specific meetings), and meetings with other interested parties upon request (property owners and other members of the public, etc.)

Throughout the consultation process for the Preliminary Design, the ministry received over 9,000 comments from the public, via the Project Email or Project Telephone Number (toll-free). This is in addition to the comments received by the ministry at various community, agency, and stakeholder meetings and the four rounds of PICs.

If there is a significant change, as defined under the Highway 413 Act, 2024, to the Preliminary Design as illustrated in the final EIAR, an addendum will be prepared in accordance with Section 9 of the Highway 413 Act, 2024.

The process is as follows:  

9 (1) The Minister shall carry out the following steps with respect to a significant change:

1. Undertake any studies of the environment in relation to the significant change that the Minister considers appropriate.
2. Assess any impacts of the significant change on the environment.
3. Identify how the Ministry will mitigate any negative impacts identified in the assessment under paragraph 2.
4. Prepare a draft addendum to the final environmental impact assessment report and a final addendum in accordance with this section.

All steps outlined above will be followed, as appropriate.

The Preliminary Design phase of Highway 413 is anticipated to be completed in early 2026. Following the Preliminary Design, Highway 413 will proceed to Detail Design.

Detail Design refines the work completed during Preliminary Design and further develops that work to a more comprehensive technical level. It establishes sufficient details to successfully construct the project. As of the publication of the draft EIAR, options and timelines for phasing and the delivery of Detail Design and construction are being explored.

The timing and duration of highway construction depends on numerous factors, including size and complexity of the project, funding availability, procurement method, and timing of environmental clearances and permits, as well as property acquisition.