TORONTO — Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, issued the following statement: “Following the federal government’s decision that it is not conducting an impact assessment of Ontario Place under its unconstitutional Impact Assessment Act, I am urging them to similarly get out of the way so that our government can get shovels in the ground on Highway 413.
“Until the federal government provides the certainty we need by acknowledging that its unconstitutional legislation doesn’t apply to this vital infrastructure project, Ontario will continue to move forward with our judicial review of Highway 413. As we do, we will also continue to follow our world-leading environmental assessment processes and respect our duty to consult obligations.
“As Ontario continues to grow at unprecedented speed, we need to build the infrastructure required to keep pace with our historic growth. It has never been more important to build roads, bridges, highways and public transit to connect our communities and tackle gridlock. Now is the time for the federal government to work with provinces to move critical projects forward, including Highway 413, so we can continue to build a stronger and more connected Ontario.”
“On October 13, the Supreme Court of Canada released an opinion that held that the vast majority of the federal government’s duplicative Impact Assessment Act was unconstitutional. The federal government’s refusal to accept that decision prompted Ontario’s immediate application for judicial review for Highway 413 and Ontario Place. The province is using the legal tools at its disposal to ensure landmark infrastructure projects can proceed without unnecessary delay caused by federal overreach.”