March 15, 2024 ERO number…

March 15, 2024
ERO number 019-7891 - City of Burlington comments

OVERVIEW:

ERO number: 019-7891 proposes that the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) and Private Sector Developers Regulation (O.Reg. 345/93) be revoked. It also proposes the Municipal Project Assessment Process (MPAP) and the EA Act will apply to 17 higher-risk municipal infrastructure projects.
Revoking the MCEA, O.Reg. 345/93 and enacting the MPAP will result in many typical municipal infrastructure projects becoming exempt from the EA process. Examples of such projects that would be exempt include: road reconstruction, bridge replacement and creek erosion & flood mitigation.
The City of Burlington has been coordinating with the Municipal Engineers Association (MEA), in discussions and the collection of comments from members. The City is generally supportive of the proposed changes included in ERO number: 019-7891. The City is also supportive of the comments provided by the MEA.

COMMENTS:

The City of Burlington respectfully provides the following comments:

1. The City acknowledges that the proposed modernizing of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process for Municipal Infrastructure will maintain appropriate environmental oversight while reducing delays on municipal infrastructure projects. This approach will eliminate unnecessary burden on lower-impact projects and reduce duplicative requirements to support Ontario’s rapidly growing population. We also acknowledge that the province is proposing to revoke the Municipal Class EA (MCEA) and make a streamlined EA regulation which would provide a clearer, more predictable process for higher-risk projects (17 categories) that can be achieved through the current MCEA framework.

2. Please clarify if there is a requirement to consult with Indigenous communities, interested persons and the public for exempted municipal infrastructure projects.

3. For MPAP projects in the “Shoreline/In-water Works”, please clarify that projects related to sewers for the purpose of diverting flows from one tributary to another, in the same watershed, are not included in this category.

4. For MPAP projects in the “Shoreline/In-water Works”, please provide a minimum size/length related to the construction of new shoreline works (shore-connected breakwaters) that would be included in this category. Small projects should not be subject to this process.