Milton RAIL’s response to the Financial Post article.

Milton RAIL’s response to the Financial Post article. 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐍 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩; 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩.

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 “build back better.” 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 Commerce’s 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? It’s 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; it’s 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, seniors’ 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, it’s 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.

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐍 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐮𝐛 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧.

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