Process & Timeline

The Project Team, consisting of MTO and their retained consultants, completed the following milestones:

• Continued consultation and engagement, including:
  • Ongoing engagement with Indigenous communities, key stakeholders, and the public.
  • Meetings with potentially affected landowners.
• Targeted fieldwork and research continued in specific areas:
  • Archaeology
  • Foundation Investigations
  • Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Roadside Reconnaissance Surveys
• Design and Reporting Milestones:
  • Publication of the draft EIAR for comment.
• Regulatory and Construction Preparation:
  • On November 27, 2025, the corridor was designated as a controlled-access highway under the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act.
• Early Works:
  • Early Works Project #1: Embankment at the 401/407 ETR/413 Interchange was completed.

• In 2024, significant features continued to be identified within the Highway 413 Route.
• Field studies continued to develop an understanding of the local natural environment and the potential impact of the project based on the Preliminary Design. Field study and research areas included:
  • Foundations Investigations
  • Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Build Heritage and Cultural Heritage Landscapes
  • Pavement Engineering Investigations
• Indigenous communities participated in the fieldwork as Community Field Liaisons.
• On April 15, the Federal Court removed the designation of the project under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA). A Bilateral Federal-Provincial Working Group was established to recommend appropriate measures to minimize environmental impacts in areas of federal jurisdiction.
• Development of the Preliminary Design of the Highway 413 Route to 60% completion in June 2024.
• Navigable waters survey posted to the project website for a 30-day public comment period (July 2 to August 2, 2024).
• Revised Cumulative Effects Framework posted to the project website for a 30-day public comment period (September 4 to October 3, 2024).
• Draft preliminary impact assessment reports, including mitigation alternatives for potential impacts on several environmental discipline reports related to the natural, social, economic, and cultural environments.
• Ongoing consultation and engagement sessions, including:
  • Federal/Provincial Bilateral Working Group monthly meetings.
  • Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) Meetings (November 2024).
  • Municipal Townhall Meeting (November 2024).
  • Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) Meeting (December 2024).
• Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 received Royal Assent on November 25, 2024. Schedule 3 of the Bill, known as the Highway 413 Act, 2024, is in place and will:
  • Exempt Highway 413 from the requirement to complete a comprehensive environmental assessment (EA) under the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA); and
  • Create a new process for assessing and reporting on the environmental impacts and mitigation that will apply to the construction of Highway 413 other than Early Works, allowing the construction of Highway 413 to start sooner while maintaining environmental protections.
• On December 9, the Project achieved the 90% Preliminary Design milestone for Highway 413, accompanied by a refined Focused Analysis Area (FAA) to better reflect lands no longer anticipated to be required for construction. The updated FAA was posted to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) from December 9 to January 8, 2025. Additional refinements are planned, with the final FAA scheduled for release in early 2025.
• Following a second designation request for the Highway 413 project under the Federal Impact Assessment Act (IAA), the President of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) determined that the Highway 413 Project does not warrant designation under the IAA.

• In 2023, the Preliminary Design phase progressed in a variety of key areas, including:
  • Continued identification Highway 413 Route features.
  • Continued work of the Initial Project Description (IPD)
  • Advanced the Preliminary Design of the Highway 413 Route, including developing alternatives for mitigating the project’s anticipated effects.
• Field studies continued to further develop the understanding of the local natural environment and potential project impacts based on the Preliminary Design. Fieldwork programs for some environmental factors areas (e.g., natural environment) were intended to build upon the data obtained in previous years to provide a second year of data collection to fulfill federal impact assessment data requirements.  Field studies included:
  • Archaeology
  • Built Heritage
  • Fish and Fish Habitat
  • Terrestrial Ecosystems
  • Species at Risk (SAR) including the: Western Chorus frog, Rapids Clubtail and the Redheaded Woodpecker
  • Agriculture
  • Drainage and Stormwater Management
  • Foundation Investigations
  • Pavement Investigations
• Indigenous communities participated in the fieldwork as Community Field Liaisons.
• Drafting of the IPD and IPD Plain Language Summary progressed.
• Circulation of the Draft IPD to Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC), key stakeholders, and Indigenous communities for review and comment on June 29, 2023.
• Regular meetings with IAAC and interested Indigenous communities were held to present the IPD content shared with IAAC and provided an opportunity for questions/ comments.
• Public engagement and consultation with Indigenous communities continued throughout the year as new information became available from progress on the highway design and studies, including, but not limited to, updates on the Preliminary Design and progress in environmental studies.
• Public Information Centres (PICs) were held on September 28, 2023 (York Region), October 3, 2023 (Halton Region) and October 5, 2023 (Peel Region) to provide an update on the Highway 413 Project and the provincial Environmental Assessment (EA) process. The PICs focused on sharing information on the Preliminary Design, studies underway, answering questions and obtaining input.
• In October 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released an opinion that the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), as it applies to designated projects, is unconstitutional.

• As the Preliminary Design phase continued in 2022, progress was made in several key project areas, including:
  • Continued identification of significant Highway 413 Route features.
  • Continued Preliminary Design of the Highway 413 Route, including initial mitigations for anticipated impacts.
  • Pre-planning for the Federal Impact Assessment (IA) Process.
• Field studies continued further to develop the understanding of the local natural environment and ensure minimal project impact. Field study and research areas included:
  • Fish and Fish Habitat
  • Terrestrial Ecosystems
  • Species at Risk (SAR) including the: Western Chorus Frog, Rapids Clubtail and the Redheaded Woodpecker
  • Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Land Use
  • Erosion and Sediment Control
  • Archaeology
  • Built Heritage and Cultural Heritage Landscapes
  • Agriculture
  • Foundation Investigations
• Indigenous communities participated in the fieldwork as Community Field Liaisons.
• Continued public engagement occurred throughout the year, including ongoing engagement with Indigenous communities.

• In 2021 there was progression on a variety of key project areas, including:
  • Continued identification of significant Highway 413 Route features.
  • Preliminary Design of the Highway 413 Route commenced.
• On May 3, 2021, the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change designated the Highway 413 Project under the Federal Impact Assessment (IA) Act. Fieldwork was suspended while the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants, established expectations and legislative requirements for the pre-planning phase in consultation with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and federal agencies.
• Continued to develop a deep understanding of the local natural environment and ensure minimal project impact. Field study and research areas included:
  • Built Heritage and Cultural Heritage Landscapes
  • Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Foundations Investigations
• A Community Value Plan (CVP) meeting was held on May 20, 2021, via Zoom. Current CVP team members were invited to attend and an open invitation for new members was posted on the project website in early May 2021. At this CVP meeting, members provided comments on the Draft CVP including roll plans and design elements that illustrate the application of the CVP Toolkit along the highway and transitway.
• To provide an update on the project and to address community questions, the Highway 413 Project Team hosted a Community Engagement Webinar (CEW) on July 28, 2021, via Zoom. A second CEW was held on September 29, 2021. The same overview of the project was presented at both, followed by a question-and-answer period. Expert panellists from a variety of disciplines were in attendance to answer questions.
• On August 13, 2021, letters were sent to local Indigenous communities to inform them of the federal designation. All potentially impacted communities were invited to attend ongoing project meetings to provide feedback and ask questions.
• A third round of Public Information Centre (PICs) were held virtually on December 7, 2021 (Peel Region), December 9, 2021 (York Region), and December 14, 2021 (Halton Region) to provide updates, and to explain the Federal Impact Assessment (IA) process to help shape the content of the Initial Project Description (IPD).
• PICs provided an opportunity to communicate the rationale behind the Federal designation, outline the IA process, present the additional technical studies being integrated into the Project, and gather informed feedback on the socio-economic dynamics of local municipalities, including key concerns raised by stakeholders and Indigenous communities.
• Public engagement occurred throughout the year, including ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities.

• Continued to develop a deep understanding of the local natural environment and ensure minimal project impact. Field study and research areas included:
  • Fish and Fish Habitat
  • Terrestrial Ecosystems
  • Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Contamination
  • Built Heritage and Cultural Heritage Landscapes
• Based on new information received after the 2019 Public Information Centres (PICs), the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants, developed additional alignment alternatives and undertook supplementary analysis on the routes and crossing of the Humber River in Section 8. Given the interdependencies, changes in Section 7 were also included in the supplementary analysis.
  • The route alignment through Section 8 was shifted northerly, considering the natural environment and associated community features, future development lands, and existing residential communities.
• In August 2020, the Highway 413 Route was released, illustrating the route and interchange locations for the transportation corridor that will be developed to a Preliminary Design level of detail. The Highway 413 Route could deviate based on design constraints or mitigations.
• Another Community Value Plan (CVP) meeting was held on November 3, 2020, via the Zoom platform. Members of the public were invited to apply to join the CVP Team at a PIC in 2019, and an open invitation was posted on the project website in fall 2020.
• Continued public engagement occurred throughout the year, including ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities.

• On June 19, 2019, the government announced that the Environmental Assessment for the development of the Preliminary Design would be resumed from its point of suspension in 2015.
• To select the Technically Preferred Alignment in 2015, lead environmental and transportation specialists completed a comprehensive evaluation of each short-listed alignment. Following the resumption of the study, the background information and evaluation were updated to include a review of recent policies and plans. The Technically Preferred Alignment identified in 2015 remained the same following the 2019 evaluation review.
• The second Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on September 19, 2019 (York Region), September 26, 2019 (Halton Region), and October 3, 2019 (Peel Region). The purpose of the PIC was to present:
  • Updates since study resumption
  • Study background and process
  • Assessment and Evaluation Process of other alignments
  • The Draft Technically Preferred Alignment
  • Draft Technically Preferred Interchange Locations
  • Draft 2019 Focused Analysis Area
  • Community Value Plan (CVP) process.
• A CVP Meeting was held as part of PIC #2 to incorporate public input on the future design of the new multimodal transportation corridor. Members of the CVP Team recommended design elements that reflected the social, cultural, historical, and environmental interests of their communities. The CVP is focused on implementing the proposed new highway and transitway in the most context-sensitive manner, given the identified Highway 413 Route.
• In October 2019, a Municipal Executive Advisory Group (MEAG) meeting was held to review the Short List of other alignments and to discuss the evaluation criteria for the selection of preferred interchange locations.
• In November 2019, meetings with the Community Advisory Group (CAG), Municipal Advisory Group (MAG), and Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) were held to present an overview of short-listed route and interchange location alternatives, introduce the Technically Preferred Alignment and the 2019 Focused Analysis Area, and identify key considerations to inform further development for the Preliminary Design of the Technically Preferred Route.
• A Greenbelt Transportation Advisory Group (GTAG) meeting was also hosted in November. It covered the application of the Guidelines Planning and Design of the Highway 413 Route through the Greenbelt, in addition to the topics covered in the CAG, MAG, and RAAG meetings of that same month.

• Project suspended by the provincial government of the day.
  • Before the project was suspended, the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants, had identified a Technically Preferred Alignment. However, the proposed route had not yet been presented to the public.

• The Project advanced through key early milestones, including initiating background investigations, identifying and assessing a long list of other alignments, refining and evaluating them to a short list, and ultimately recommending the Technically Preferred Alignment.
• Community Workshops were held throughout 2014 and 2015. The workshops provided interested community members with various opportunities to provide input to the Project Team, which consisted of MTO and its consultants. The workshops focused on:
  • Providing an overview of the study objectives, process, and timelines.
  • Providing an opportunity for attendees to apply for participation in the Community Advisory Group (CAG) and the Greenbelt Transportation Advisory Group (GTAG).
  • Participating in interactive activities, including providing input on key issues and existing features within the Highway 413 Route to be considered in the development of the route and interchange alternatives, as well as providing input on the route location.
• Ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities and continued fieldwork studies.
• In May 2015, meetings with the Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG), Municipal Advisory Group (MAG), CAG, and GTAG were held to discuss the approach for evaluating the Short List of other alignments and to discuss trade-offs in the west, central, and east sections of the Highway 413 Route.
• A Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on November 27, 2014 (Halton Region), December 2, 2014 (York Region), and December 4, 2014 (Peel Region). The purpose of the PICs was to present:
  • Study background and process
  • Study background and existing conditions within the Highway 413 Route
  • Development and screening of the long list of other alignments
  • Identification of the short list of other alignments and potential interchange locations
  • The Focused Analysis Area
  • Factors and criteria for evaluating the short list of route alternatives.
• Fieldwork was undertaken to aid in the evaluation of the short list of planning alternatives.
  • Fish and Fish Habitat
  • Terrestrial Ecosystems
  • Groundwater
  • Contamination
  • Land Use
  • Built Heritage and Cultural Heritage Landscapes

• The Preliminary Design phase of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Study was initiated in February 2014, and a notice of Study Commencement was issued. Building on the recommendations from the completion of the Transportation Development Strategy (2012), the EA Study continued with a focus on identifying the route and developing the preliminary design for a new transportation corridor within the Highway 413 Route.
• A Greenbelt Transportation Advisory Group (GTAG) was formed in 2014. The group includes representation from environmental interest groups, environmental ministries, and other Greenbelt experts. Members were asked to share information regarding key environmental and agricultural features, discuss potential impacts on sensitive features within the Greenbelt, and generate and discuss mitigation strategies to be implemented. The first meeting was hosted in October of 2014, and focused on presenting a study overview and update, in addition to feedback on the Preliminary Short List of other alignments within the Greenbelt.
• In September 2014, the Municipal Executive Advisory Group (MEAG) hosted their first meeting, where attendees discussed the study background, process and schedule, how to coordinate with municipal planning initiatives, and reviewed the Long List of Other Alignments.
• Meetings continued throughout 2014 with the GTAG, Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) and Community Advisory Group (CAG), focusing on providing study overview and updates and requesting feedback on the Preliminary Short List of other alignments.
• In 2014, two Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) meetings were held, in June and November, where the discussion centred on an overview of the study background, process and schedule, and feedback on the Preliminary Short List of other alignments.
• Starting in December 2014, the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants reviewed and considered input received at and following the November/December 2014 Public Information Centres (PIC #1) and began work to select the Technically Preferred Alignment.

• In June 2012, a Public Information Centre (PIC) was held to present findings from additional analysis in the Halton area, per comments received on the Draft Transportation Development Strategy (TDS), and to present the updated multi-modal strategy for the preliminary Highway 413 Route.
• It was concluded that even with significant investments in public transit expansion and other modes in the region, a new highway corridor would still be needed to keep up with the projected population and employment growth.
• A Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting was held in June 2012 to review the findings of the additional analysis in the Halton area and draft recommendations, and provide an update on the overall study, its schedule, and next steps.
• In November 2012, the final, Transportation Development Strategy, 2012 was issued, marking the completion of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process and establishing the foundation for advancing into the Preliminary Design phase.

• As the culmination of the Transportation Development Strategy (TDS) efforts to date, a draft report was released in February 2011, marking a key milestone in the Project’s progression.
• A Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) meeting was held in April 2011 to present and discuss the Draft Transportation Development Strategy (TDS), with particular focus on the Preliminary Route Planning for the Highway 413 Route, to facilitate municipal review of the report and discuss any preliminary comments. A similar Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) meeting was held in the same month to facilitate agency review of the report and discuss preliminary comments as well.
• A Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting was held in May 2011 to present and discuss the Draft TDS, with particular focus on the proposed new corridor.

• • As the completion of the Transportation Development Strategy (TDS) continued, a Public Information Centre (PIC) and meetings with Indigenous communities were held in June 2010 to gather feedback on selecting preferred transportation alternative(s) and recommending a multi-modal strategy for the preliminary Highway 413 Route.
• A Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting was held in May 2010 to present and receive feedback on the preliminary planning alternatives. An additional CAG meeting was held in September of that year to provide an update on the project’s status and present and receive feedback on the Draft Transportation Development Strategy (TDS).
• A Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) meeting was held in May 2010 to present and receive feedback on the preliminary planning alternatives, the short-listed transportation alternatives, and new transportation corridors.
• A Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) meeting was also held in May of 2010 and focused on presenting and receiving feedback on the preliminary planning alternatives.

• The draft Transportation Development Strategy (TDS) of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) West study area (now known as Highway 413 Route) was initiated following the process outlined in the Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference (ToR). This focused on addressing long-term inter-regional transportation problems, opportunities, and considering alternative solutions to address these issues as part of developing an integrated, multi-modal transportation system that enables efficient movement of people and goods, providing better economic and transportation linkages between Urban Growth Centres within the preliminary Highway 413 Route.
• A key element of the TDS was to determine if significant investments in other modes (such as transit, freight rail / inter-modal, marine, air, etc.) in the region would offset the need for a new highway corridor, or if new infrastructure would be pivotal in keeping up with the projected population and employment growth.
• In February 2009 a Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting was held to discuss transportation problems and the preliminary Highway 413 Route. Another meeting was held that July to receive feedback on the proposed process for generating and evaluating other alingments, as well as input on the types of alignments that should be considered. A third CAG meeting was held in November to continue to receive feedback on the generated transportation system improvements.
• February 2009 marked the first Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) meeting to advise the Ministry of Transportation and its consultants on regional and municipal priorities related to the preliminary Highway 413 route. This first meeting focused on identifying key transportation challenges and opportunities. By June 2009, the MAG reconvened to provide strategic input on the proposed methodology for evaluating other alignments and to advise on the types of routes that warranted further study. A third meeting, held in November 2009, centered on reviewing and validating the alignment assessment process to ensure it aligned with municipal expectations and planning frameworks.
• In 2009, the Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) was established to provide strategic input on transportation planning. That year, RAAG convened three times—in February, June, and November to address key priorities. Discussions focused initially on identifying transportation challenges and opportunities, followed by discussions generating and evaluating alternatives. The group provided critical feedback on the alternatives developed and the assessment process used.
• In March 2009, a Public Information Centre (PIC) was held to identify transportation problems and opportunities across the region.
• In December 2009, another PIC was held to assess transportation alternatives that address the problems and opportunities noted in previous engagements. These findings informed the development, assessment, and evaluation of a range of Area Transportation System Alternatives to meet the identified problems and opportunities within the preliminary Highway 413 Route. Elements that were reviewed when identifying alternatives included:
  • Marketplace/competition issues
  • Infrastructure
  • Environmental protection
  • Security
  • Innovation

• On March 4, 2008, after a ministry review period, the Ontario Minister of the Environment (MOE) approved the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Individual Environmental Assessment study.
• June 2008 marked the formation of the Community Advisory Group (CAG). The group’s members include representatives from various interest groups, organizations, and individuals along the Highway 413 Route. The CAG enabled direct communication between the community and the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants, members were asked to:
  •  Provide comments and suggestions on findings.
  • Provide insight and discussion on potential issues, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Participate in developing strategies to address the issues and opportunities.
• An additional CAG meeting was held in December 2008 to discuss different types of transportation problems.

• The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) launched the Highway 413 Project (at that time, referred to as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) West Study), publishing  Ontario Government Notices in 16 newspapers across the preliminary study area (PSA).
• In January, a Regulatory Agency Advisory Group (RAAG) and Municipal Advisory Group (MAG) were formed. Initial meetings were held with both advisory groups to review the Draft Terms of Reference (ToR) – a document that provided a framework to guide the preparation of the Environmental Assessment (EA).
• On March 15, 2007, individuals on the project contact list were notified by e-mail and/or letter of the release of the Draft ToR for review and comment.
• During the nine-week review and comment period for the Draft ToR, the Project Team, consisting of MTO and their consultants, met with local municipal councils and committees, engaged with Indigenous communities, and held Public Information Centres (PICs) at four different locations across the Highway 413 Route.