Regional Council Unanimously Endorses Resolution Calling on Federal Government to Refuse Approval of Proposed CN Milton Logistics Hub

*Feb. 25, 2020 UPDATE: At its meeting on Feb. 24, 2020, Burlington City Council unanimously approved endorsing the resolution approved by Halton Regional Council at its meeting on Feb. 12, 2020 related to CN's proposed Milton Logistics Hub, found below. See Council report: L-07-20 CN's Proposed Milton Logistics Hub COB Resolution.**Please see media release below issued by Region of Halton.On Feb. 12, 2020, Halton Regional Council endorsed a resolution calling on the federal government to refuse CN’s proposal for a truck-rail hub in Milton. The resolution is based on the Federal Review Panel’s assessment that the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on air quality and human health, and that additional significant effects are likely to occur.

"Halton Municipalities’ concerns have been justified given that the independent expert Panel found CN’s proposal will have significant adverse environmental effects. CN has consistently denied that its proposed project will negatively impact our community. Regional Council’s resolution reflects our deep resolve to protect our community. We are asking the Federal Government to do the right thing and refuse federal approval of the proposed CN Milton Logistics Hub." — Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr

The proposed truck-rail hub is a 400-acre project that includes a new mainline rail, which will double the existing track line and add over 20 kilometers of new rail yard track. The facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and result in at least 1,600 truck trips to and from the facility each day. The proposed location for the project is within one kilometer of approximately 34,000 current and future residents, one hospital, twelve schools and two long-term care homes.The Halton Municipalities and Conservation Halton presented expert reports on over 20 technical disciplines to the Panel at the public hearing in July that identified many concerns with this proposed project and its impacts on the Halton community. The Panel did not address all of the Halton Municipalities’ concerns. Importantly, the Panel did not consider the impact of the large number of trucks on traffic congestion across all of Halton.

"This is the wrong location for the proposed truck-rail hub and it is not justified in these circumstances. The answer for the federal government is clear— don’t approve this project. I stand firmly with Chair Carr and the Mayors of Burlington, Halton Hills and Oakville to implore the Federal Government to refuse federal approval of CN’s proposed Milton Logistics Hub." — Milton Mayor Gord Krantz

Concerned residents are encouraged to contact their MPs and MPPs to make their voices heard and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #sayNO2CNhub. A decision by the federal government is expected in June 2020. For more information about CN’s proposal and the Halton Municipalities’ position on this project, please visit halton.ca/cn. MAYOR MEED WARD’S TAKE:Halton Regional Council is united in our voice and call to the federal government with this unanimously endorses resolution. As a Council, we have been committed to letting the evidence lead our discussions. We learned from the Federal Review Panel’s assessment that the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on air quality and human health. We are now asking the federal government to do the right thing in light of this information. This has been a unanimous process throughout to represent the concerns of Milton residents and make sure we have a strong regional voice. And it’s been based on evidence, not wishes, not desires, not economic expansion. So, we are 100 per cent in solidarity, all four mayors and our regional chair, and all four municipalities in Halton Region — we have the Town of Milton’s back.RELATED LINK:

• Milton Logistics Hub Project Environmental Assessment Report Released – Federal Government to Decide
• Halton Municipalities Present Key Concerns on CN Truck-Rail Hub at Public Hearing

—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist.