NCC says there is no flexibility in corridor alignments
Since the end of Phase I of the Interprovincial Bridge Environmental Assessment in February 2009, developments have been slow. Phase 2A, with a mandate to define the process for the final selection of one corridor and the associated Environment Impact Assessment, was initiated on Oct 14th, 2009, with the selection of AECOM-Delcan as the consultant. Phase 2A is scheduled for completion in June 2010.
In Phase 2B, the final corridor will be selected based on the process defined in Phase 2A. The project will then focus on preparing an Environmental Assessment for that corridor alone. Phase 2B is scheduled for completion by December 2012, with all required approvals obtained by December 2013. Construction could conceivably begin by mid 2014.
The first meeting of the Public Consultation Group (PCG) was held on December 15, 2009. The PCG provides a forum for dialogue between the Phase 2A consultants and about 25 member organizations representing communities, environmental groups and other interested parties.
The NCC-led Study Team has taken the position that its mandate allows study of only corridors 5 (Kettle Island), 6 (Lower Duck) and 7(Gatineau Airport) as defined in Phase 1. This would exclude the study of any variation of those corridors or potentially better alternatives put forward by community associations, Hon. Mauril Belanger and others. This is important, because there are serious problems with all three corridors as specifically defined in Phase 1.
Community groups represented at the PCG strongly opposed the NCC position and were in agreement that the issue is critical to a successful outcome of Phase 2. These groups will be working to remove the strict definition of the corridor options in order to ensure that Phase 2 results in a recommendation for the crossing at the best possible location in the general vicinity of the three corridors. The decision needs to take into account community concerns and the requirement that the study put emphasis on community impacts, transit and economic development, as cited in the letter sent by the Province of Ontario to the NCC following release of the Phase 1 recommendation.
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