Milton’s Mayor isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to the planned CN Intermodal Hub.
Mayor Gord Krantz issued an email to Milton Chamber of Commerce members in which he voiced his displeasure with the hub, the Chamber’s stance, and everything that has gone around any decisions on potential development.
The email reads as such:
“Dear fellow Milton Chamber of Commerce member,
“I must inform you about an issue of immense importance to our community and Chamber.
“The Canadian National Railway Company (CN) wants to build a massive truck-rail hub beside a residential neighbourhood. It would operate 24/7, with at least 1,600 daily truck trips, within one kilometre of about 34,000 residents, one hospital, 12 schools and two long-term care homes. This is where people live, work, play, and where children grow.
“A federal expert environmental review panel reached an unprecedented finding that the location of this truck-rail hub will cause significant effects on human health, and also concluded that no measures can avoid air quality and human health impacts. In more than 100 panel reviews since 1973, no panel has made a finding of significant adverse effects on human health. Furthermore, on March 1st, 2024, the Federal Court decided the federal government’s approval of CN’s hub was ‘flawed and unreasonable’.
“This is the wrong project in the wrong place. A site like this should not operate close to current and planned residential neighbourhoods.
“I recently asked the Milton Chamber of Commerce board of directors to follow through on its 2019 commitment to reconsider its support if the Environmental Assessment found the project would have negative impacts on the community. The Chamber board deferred its decision-making when the Environmental Assessment was first released, and they continue to defer decision-making today. Awaiting the outcome of CN’s appeal of the federal court of decision, as the Chamber is doing, ignores the project’s clear health impacts on our community.
“This is not the kind of project our Milton Chamber should support on behalf of its members. Let them know. I’m calling on your to please get in touch with the Chamber board and ask them to reconsider their position. I am a pro-business Mayor who believes in growth. But we need the kind of growth that helps our community – not flawed projects in the wrong location which will result in real-world harms.
“I am extremely disappointed. I am speaking up and hope you do too.”
The full letter can be read here as it was posted to social media by Regional Councillor for Milton’s Ward 4, Sameera Ali.
If built, the Hub would be built in Milton’s Ward 4, across 400 acres of land along Tremaine Road. The project includes a new mainline rail, which will double the existing track line and add over 20 km of new rail yard track.
It was ruled in May that CN could continue development on the hub for now. Final word is expected to come in a later ruling from the Federal Court of Appeal.
We continue to wait on a final decision.
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