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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 6, 20 20 | 4 Visit ontario.ca/coronavirus Paid for by the Government of Ontario Inside or out, stay safe. Save lives. As more businesses and services reopen, wemust all continue our efforts to protect each other. Get tested if you are worried you may have COVID-19, or have been exposed to the virus. Wear a face covering where physical distancing is a challenge or where required. Continue to practice physical distancing, stay two metres apart even in gatherings. Download the COVID Alert app to be notified if you may have been exposed to the virus. 2m Continue to wash hands frequently. their voices. Back in March, all Halton mayors, in- cluding Rick Bonnette, went to Ottawa to once again express their concerns. "CN's proposed project will have sig- nificant, adverse environmental effects on the local community and the region and this cannot be mitigated," Bonnette said at the time. In an email, regional councillor Jane Fogal said that she's supportive of the Re- gional position, as articulated on the Hal- ton Region's website. "The issue, as is stated on our website, has significance for all municipalities and for the Province itself," she said. The Milton Says No group, along with Milton RAIL (Residents Affected by In- termodal Lines), has penned similar peti- tions and public letters in the past. "It has been difficult for residents to convey their feelings as a community to Ottawa," Newman said, which speaks to the complexity of the process. The parliamentary petition, which has garnered close to 2,000 signatures as of July 31, is sponsored by Milton MP Ad- am van Koeverden. He said he plans to raise the e-petition in the House of Com- mons sometime in September or early October on behalf of the community. "This residential location for an in- dustrial project is inappropriate and it will have a negative impact on people's lives," he said, adding that it is his respon- sibility and obligation to stand up for his neighbours and to make sure that their voice is clearly heard. Human safety, community safety and the environment are among the concerns raised by citizens, he said. The intermo- dal facility -- which is proposed for CN- owned lands located east of Tremaine Road and south of Britannia Road -- is de- signed to transfer containers between trucks and railcars and would operate around the clock with an estimated 1,600 daily truck trips and four intermodal trains.. "Truck traffic will lead to more local pollution and a decrease in the overall safety of the roads," van Koeverden said, as the trucks will have to take routes that will go past schools, hospitals, and through neighbourhoods. This was ech- oed by Newman. The "thousands of trucks" on town and regional roads will dramatically change the face of the area renowned for outdoor activities and recreational green space, she said. Back in January, a federal review pan- el completed its environmental assess- ment report for the project with the con- clusion that it would have significant, ad- verse, environmental effects on air qual- ity and human health. In a previous statement, CN said that they are "committed to addressing the observations and recommendations made by the Joint Review Panel." On its website, CN says the project is a critical investment into the supply chain network to help meet the growing de- mand for household goods across the GTHA. According to the company, the panel report confirmed that "the selec- tion of the south Milton site was support- ed by reasonable criteria." Newman said she understands the im- portance of such facilities. "For us, it's not about saying no," she said. "But the pursuit of one of these facil- ities should never be at the expense of hu- man health." The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is currently holding a public comment period on the potential envi- ronmental assessment conditions for the proposed logistics hub. Written com- ments will be accepted until Aug. 21, 2020. As for the petition, it is open for signa- tures until Aug. 16. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With the decision on CN's proposed intermodal terminal fast-approaching, local grass- roots groups are ramping up their efforts to stop the project. Safety issues and an adverse effect on the environment are among their concerns. NEWS Continued from page 1 PROJECT WOULD HAVE MANY ADVERSE EFFECTS: GROUPS The issue, as is stated on our website, has significance for all municipalities and for the Province itself." - Coun. Jane Fogal SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA