MTO to examine needs
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

To address long-term transportation requirements in the Greater Toronto Area west corridor, the Ministry of Transportation Ontario has started a formal environmental assessment study that includes the southern part of Caledon.

In a presentation to Caledon council recently, Jin Wang, project coordinator with MTO, explained the study will examine long-term transportation problems and consider alternatives to provide better linkages to urban growth centres within the GTA west corridor. The preliminary study area runs from Highway 6 near Guelph in the west to Highway 400 in the east, north of Highway 401. It includes areas such as Bolton, Woodbridge, Brampton, Georgetown and Acton.

Wang noted Ontario's population has grown to 12.2 million in 2006 from 7.7 million in 1971. He added Peel region's population is expected to grow by 600,000 people from 2001 to 2031.

Councillor Allan Thompson noted 88 per cent of warehouse items are moved on tires and the study area runs right through his ward. He doesn't deny they need an east-west corridor, but they also need to figure out how to bring traffic down from Highway 9.

"We have lost control of our roads," he said.

He added they have to look at the whole picture and how they're going to interconnect.

He also commented agriculture will be impacted should a highway come through. He suggested MTO buy the land so it doesn't sterilize the people who are on it.

Councillor Richard Whitehead believes they're looking at a major road from Guelph to Highway 427. He doesn't think they'll be able to get over to Highway 400 as their study implies. He also noted the province has declared Caledon a future city from Castlederg Sideroad going south and south Caledon will become urban.

Mayor Marolyn Morrison said MTO needs to extend its terms of reference to go up to Highway 9.

More information about the GTA west corridor can be found at the Web site www.gta-com.