Milton RAILโs response to the Financial Post article.
Milton RAILโs response to the Financial Post article. ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง: ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ; ๐ข๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ.
Milton R.A.I.L. (Residents Affected by Intermodal Lines) has been fighting the development of the intermodal terminal since 2001 when CN made their first proposal. We are not against Intermodal service; however, the development of an intermodal terminal cannot come at the sacrifice of any community.
The federal government wants to โbuild back better.โ Perhaps the focus should be on manufacturing in Canada, growing in Canada and buying Canadian?
Perrin Beatty and Rocco Rossi are entitled to their opinion and we question the announcement at the Canadian Chamber of Commerceโs 2020 AGM. How much have they learned about intermodal transport and specifically the intermodal terminal proposed for Milton before making their announcement? Have they thoroughly researched the impact to human health, the environment, the community, etc., or are they solely influenced by CN, who we understand is a big supporter of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade? Itโs a fair question.
Growth and development do need to occur to support our communities across Canada, however corporate profits should not come before the health of any community.
Building an intermodal terminal in Milton is NOT an ideal first step; itโs the wrong step. Placing the terminal in a suitable location would be equally beneficial to Canadians. Intermodal terminals are recognized as a Class III industrial facility and should be immediately adjacent to a major highway and not force 1600 transport trucks per day (584,000 transport trucks per year) through residential areas with families, children, parks, schools, seniorsโ homes and a hospital. It should not be in an area where 34,000 residents are within one kilometre of the location. The proposed location will have impacts to the air quality that are unsafe at any level. An intermodal terminal belongs in an area with industrial zoning with the infrastructure to support its growth.
The article states that the GTA is battered by gridlock. We question how bringing in an additional 1600 transport trucks per day would help with that gridlock? A single intermodal train may remove up to 300 long-haul trucks from the clogged highways however the proposed terminal would bring all of those trucks--1600 trucks per day, to the middle of Halton Region. How does that help Halton? An intermodal terminal cannot run without the transport business, it's completely reliant on truck transport. It's misleading to talk about "taking trucks off the road", when they are all being placed in one location. The impacts are concentrated in one region.
This is the first time the IAAC Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (formerly the CEAA Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) have reviewed an intermodal terminal project of this capacity, and the outcome of this project is indeed a national issue. This project sets precedent for future rail projects and all Canadian communities who will face railway companies like CN for future intermodal developments. It is essential that impact to human health and the environment are taken into the greatest consideration. Building in an appropriate location will still benefit CN, itโs shareholders, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Canadians.
We invite CN to be the good neighbour they say they are and do the right thing; change your plans and build in an industrial area.
๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐จ๐ง.
Rita Vogel Post Milton RAIL (Residents Affected by Intermodal Lines)
https://financialpost.com/opinion/opinion-building-back-better-should-include-cns-milton-logistics-hub?fbclid=IwAR0yIKjzr8PXYLBwufceqiFkH5U7piUlMeTFSHzWfoCwrzpQ2D-o60GNLqw Halton Region | Adam van Koeverden | Parm Gill, MPP | Town Of Milton | Town of Oakville | Town of Halton Hills | City of Burlington, Ontario