Harvest Ontario Walk on October 1st to stop the 413
BRAMPTON, ON, Sept. 21, 2022 /CNW/ - On Saturday, October 1st, concerned citizens, groups and elected officials from the Greater Toronto Area will come together to walk and bike along the proposed route of Highway 413 to voice their concerns regarding the impact the project will have on Ontario's Greenbelt and farmlands.
Following the walk / bike, there will be a Harvest Fair at the Brampton Fairgrounds with music and a rally from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Harvest Ontario Walk and Bike is organized by an ad hoc group of concerned citizens, whose goal is to ensure the Federal Impact Assessment fully addresses the impact on Indigenous rights, endangered species and climate change with sufficient input from the public and technical experts.
The project is controversial because of the well-reported ties between the government and developers who favour easy profits associated with urban sprawl. The highway will destroy more than 2,000 acres of pristine farmland and 400 acres of the Greenbelt, including parts of the Nashville Conservation Area and the Credit and Humber Rivers. This project will only contribute to Ontario's climate emergency.
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, NDP Environment, Conservation and Parks critic, Sandy Shaw and Liberal Party MPP Mary Margaret McMahon will be participating in the rally at the Brampton Fairgrounds, located at Heart Lake and Old School Roads from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Any municipal candidates opposed to the 413 and urban sprawl are welcome to join in and participate.
COVID-19 created revenue crises in Ontario's healthcare, education, infrastructure and environmental sectors. The up to $10 billion tax dollars budgeted for a highway would be put to much better use by investing in healthcare, education and sustainable transit.
"We are showing the federal and provincial governments that the public is not behind this project in a fun way," said Susan Berry, Chair of the Harvest Ontario Walk coalition. "As we have seen time and time again, more highways do nothing to alleviate traffic congestion. Ironically, they increase it and contribute to climate change, which must be urgently addressed. It is time to ensure that the good things that grow in Ontario are there for future generations. October 1st we can enjoy connection with each other and nature and demonstrate our concerns."
Groups involved in this positive day of action include Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet, Mississauga Climate Action, Environmental Defence, The Wilderness Committee, eco-Caledon, Halton Hills Climate Action, Climate Action King and more.
All are welcome and we encourage everyone to bring friends, family or colleagues to show their support for the environment and community.
More information and registration can be found here
Photos and information about previous bike ride found here: https://environmentaldefence.ca
SOURCE Harvest Ontario Walk
Media Contact: Susan Berry, 905-484-0143, [email protected]
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