Item - 2020.SC15.7

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council request the City Manager write to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks requesting the Province to require 2683517 Ontario Inc. complete a traffic study as part of its Environmental Compliance Approval applications and request the Province to consider the results as part of the approvals process; and further request that the review of this traffic study be completed in co-ordination with City of Toronto Transportation Services staff.

2683517 Ontario Inc. (the proponent) is seeking provincial Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECAs) to operate an organics processing centre and anaerobic digester facility at 633 Coronation Drive. The proponent has not submitted a development application to the City of Toronto.

The local community is strongly opposed to this facility. The Ward 25 Council Office has received over a hundred personalized emails opposing the project, as well a petition signed by over 4,200 individuals.

The local Council Office was notified about the proposal by residents who received an undated letter from the proponent. The Council Office was not consulted or briefed about the proposal prior to these letters being circulated. Although this letter had no circulation date, recipients were advised to respond to the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) within 15-days of receipt. The notice did not even advise the community about the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO), where they could review, submit comments and share thoughts on the proposal's environmental impact.

On May 19, 2020, the Councillor for Ward 25 wrote to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks requesting the Province require the proponent to have a public meeting, engage with community stakeholders and conduct a traffic assessment.  These actions are critical so local residents and stakeholders can submit informed comments through the MECP's ERO review process.   

In response to public and stakeholder feedback, the Province extended the ERO comment period to June 23, 2020. 

Local residents have concerns particularly rooted with an increase of transportation trucks on residential streets, increased noise and risk towards children in our neighbourhood. The local community would like to know the potential impacts of this project on truck traffic through the area. There are also concerns by the community about the type of vehicles being used to transport organic waste to the facility and if there is potential for open-top vehicles to spill organic waste in the community.