www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday December 29, 2006 - 9 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ONTARIO GOVERNMENT NOTICE Volunteering for Salvation Army kettle campaign was rewarding When I read your front page article in The Oakville Beaver, Dec. 13 regarding the financial and volunteer shortfall of the Salvation Army, I just had to respond. I called them right away and volunteered for eight three-hour shifts at the kettle drive. What a wonderful experience it was! The passersby were most generous and appreciative. Some shared their own Sally Ann stories. In spite of the negative publicity surrounding the MADD charity, few were deterred from supporting this venerable institution. It was heartwarming to see the reaction of the little ones and teenagers, in particular. The Salvation Army was instrumental in helping our parents' generation in times of need through the second world war and I feel it's now our turn to keep it surviving. I'll be back to volunteer next year. I challenge and encourage others with some time to spare, to do the same. We live such an advantaged life. Why not do a bit to help those with less so? MAUREEN LUSH NOTICE OF STUDY COMMENCEMENT NIAGARA TO GTA CORRIDOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY PHASE 1 THE STUDY The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is initiating Phase 1 of the Planning and Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the Niagara to GTA corridor, following approval of the EA Terms of Reference by the Minister of the Environment. The planning and EA study will support the transportation objectives of the provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by providing for the efficient movement of people and goods within the corridor. The purpose of the Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning and EA study is to examine existing and future anticipated transportation capacity deficiencies (problems and opportunities) within the Niagara to GTA corridor and to provide additional capacity for a 30-year planning horizon and beyond. PROCESS The Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning and EA will be undertaken in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), and the Niagara to GTA Corridor Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference (ToR), which was approved by the Minister of the Environment in June 2006. The ToR outlines a two-phased approach that will be utilized to conduct this study. Phase 1 includes the following key steps: 1. Develop a Study Plan 2. Identify transportation problems and opportunities and verify the need for transportation improvements 3. Identify and assess transportation planning alternatives (i.e. fundamentally different ways of addressing the problems and opportunities) 4. Select preferred transportation planning alternative(s) and recommend a Transportation Development Strategy 5. Make recommendations for future study in the Niagara to GTA corridor. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Thanks for the support Canadians in Support of Afghan Women (CSAW) praise the Halton community for support given to enable 5,000 Afghan girls to attend school and poor Afghan women to make a living. Since 1998 you have helped CSAW pay the salaries of teachers at our four schools and you have purchased the needlework made by widows and the poor. Canadians in Support of Afghan Women, the only group supporting these schools, guarantee 100 per cent of your donations go to the women and children. We have weekly contact with the principal, Nazaneen Majeed. In spite of 204 incidents of schools being burned or teachers being harassed or killed over the last year, our principal and teachers are determined to ensure a future for these girls. CSAW, a small volunteer group, humbly asks for your continued support to carry out this work and sends love to you for what you have done. BEV LEFRANCOIS FOR CSAW IFO@CANADIANSSUPPORTAFGHANWOMEN.CA WWW.CANADIANSSUPPORTAFGHAWOMEN.CA Consultation activities during Phase 1 of the study will focus on informing stakeholders of the EA process, developing a Study Plan and providing stakeholders with opportunities to review and provide input on transportation needs, transportation planning alternatives, criteria for assessing planning alternatives, the selection of preferred planning alternative(s), and recommendations for subsequent studies. Four rounds of Public Information Centres (PICs) will be held for Phase 1 of this study. Each round of PICs will include individual events held in Niagara, Hamilton, and Halton and will be supplemented by follow-up activities (such as workshops) where appropriate. Notices advising of the time and location for each PIC will be published in local newspapers, sent to persons on the project mailing list, and posted on the project website: www.niagara-gta.com COMMENTS Comments and information regarding this project will be collected to assist the MTO in meeting the requirements of the OEAA. This material will be maintained on file for use during the project and may be included in project documentation. Information collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. With the exception of personal information (e.g., name and address), all comments will become part of the public record. For further information, or to be added to the mailing list for this study, please visit the project website or contact: Mr. John Slobodzian MTO Project Coordinator Ontario Ministry of Transportation Provincial and Environmental Planning Office 2nd Floor, 301 St. Paul Street St. Catharines, Ontario, L2R 7R4 Tel.: 905-704-2204 Fax: 905-704-2007 E-mail: project_team@niagara-gta.com Ms. Darlene Proudfoot MTO Environmental Planner Central Region Ontario Ministry of Transportation 1201 Wilson Ave, 3rd Floor, Bldg. D Downsview, Ontario, M3M 1J8 Tel.: 416-235-4715 Fax: 416-235-3446 E-mail: project_team@niagara-gta.com Mr. Paul Hudspith, P.Eng. Consultant Project Manager URS Canada Inc. 75 Commerce Valley Drive East Markham, Ontario, L3T 7N9 Tel.: 905-882-4401 Fax: 905-882-4399 E-mail: project_team@niagara-gta.com Mr. Sandy Nairn, MCIP, RPP Senior Environmental Planner Ecoplans Limited 2655 North Sheridan Way Suite 280 Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2P8 Tel.: 905-829-6264 Fax: 905-823-2669 E-mail: project_team@niagara-gta.com Taxpayers should not pay for tree I'm no Grinch, but I wholeheartedly agree with the letter from Peter Swirzon regarding the oak tree. While it is admirable that a group of Oakville citizens have banded together to save the tree, it seems their efforts have fallen short. When this initiative was originally proposed, the organizers had a deadline in which to come up with the necessary funds. I don't recall hearing that taxpayers were to be on the hook for any fundraising shortfall. Furthermore, I wasn't aware that the Region had a mandate to top up charity shortfalls. I have no desire to see tax dollars spent on saving one tree when there are many other financial demands facing the Region. The fact that the effort fell short sums up how the majority of Oakville residents feel about this issue. Democracy in action. LAURA SHARP Visit us at www.niagara-gta.com check us out at www.oakvillebeaver.com CHOOSE FROM OVER 1,000 PREMIUM SELECTED PRE-OWNED VEHICLES - 3000 WOODCHESTER DR. (ERIN MILLS AUTO CENTRE) MISSISSAUGA SakeP ayment a Vacation BUY NOW - NO PAYMENTS TILL SPRING! REALLY!