A significant infrastructure project set to support wastewater servicing to residents and businesses in the Towns of Aurora, Newmarket and East Gwillimbury faces rippling effects as York Region continues to await provincial approval of the Upper York Sewage Solutions Individual Environmental Assessment project.

In a report to Council, York Region staff summarized the status of the Upper York Sewage Solutions project including detailed design process, property acquisition process and the Region’s continued efforts to advance the project and mitigate risks due to extraordinary provincial delay as the Region waits for approval of the Individual Environmental Assessment.

Initiated in 2009, the Upper York Sewage Solutions project followed the planning process established under the Environmental Assessment Act, which includes a Terms of Reference, a roadmap of the proposed environmental assessment content and the Environmental Assessment itself. After more than five years of extensive scientific study including consultation with Indigenous peoples and stakeholders, the final Individual Environmental Assessment report was formally submitted to the Minister for approval on July 25, 2014.

Over three years have passed since York Region submitted the final Environmental Assessment Report to the Minister. The Minister’s decision was initially anticipated in February 2015 according to legislated timelines set out in regulations to the Environmental Assessment Act. Outstanding issues with the Province satisfying their provincial duty to consult obligations with Indigenous peoples has further delayed approval of the Individual Environmental Assessment.

One particular risk the Region is facing with further delay in approval of the Upper York Sewage Solutions Individual Environmental Assessment is connected to the proposed modifications to the existing York Durham Sewage System components located in the Town of Newmarket.

York Region continues to actively follow up with the Ministry by sharing information on various stages of this review process. The Region is extremely concerned with the potential for further delay.

For more information on the Upper York Sewage Solutions project, visit york.ca/upperyork