Hwy Update Sepyember 2107

Update: 

The Agriculture Business Community (ABC) has been busy meeting with local politicians and communicating our concerns to the Study Team via MPP Randy Pettapiece. The Study Team did contact us asking for a meeting in July which we have consistently told them was an inappropriate time for the Agriculture community. Below is the text of our letter to them in response.

Brenda Jamieson, P. Eng.
Senior Vice President
Canada Transportation Business Unit Lead

AECOM
300 Water Street
Whitby, Ontario L1N 9J2,

Dear Ms. Jamieson:

We appreciate the request to meet. As you know this time of year is difficult. This is the busiest time in our business cycle. We have asked you in the past for more appropriate times to meet. We are disappointed that the meeting dates suggested are completely unrealistic. 

This four year abandonment of the study shows complete disregard for the value we place on community involvement in our future. It does not inspire confidence in this process.
To provide you with effective commentary we need time to review the recent report, meet and prepare a response. Otherwise, a meeting would make a mockery of the public consultation process. 

Since this is such an important issue to the agriculture businesses and rural areas affected, we feel strongly that meeting dates into the fall are more appropriate. The end of October is the soonest agriculture will be in a position to meet.

We urge you to consider this seriously. We feel strongly that the process we were all supposed to follow has been abrogated by the Study Team’s failure to follow through sooner. Your lack of response until now, to the many official comments and concerns, from the last Public Information Centre is not conducive to any meaningful process.
 
Yours truly:
Sharon Weitzel per

Agriculture Business Community of Perth East, Perth South and Wilmot West

Cc: Randy Pettapiece, MPP Perth-Wellington

Letters to the MTO

On November 15, 2013, the Agriculture Business Community filed its Volume 9 Report.  It contains the concerns continually raised by the agriculture and rural community over the course of the Environmental Assessment.

As part of our intent to keep everyone as informed as possible ABC also supplies copies of its material to our  MPP and rural municipalities.  On Dec 3, 2013, we received a copy of a letter submitted by Randy Pettapiece MPP to the Minister of Transportation, the Hon. Glen Murray,MPP.

See it below.

Pettapiece Letter to MTO by hwy7and8

News Release from MPP

NEWS RELEASE

Randy Pettapiece, MPP

Perth-Wellington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 5, 2012

Province must listen to Highway 7/8 concerns, says Pettapiece

(Queen’s Park) – Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece spoke again today in the Ontario legislature about the future of Highway 7/8.

Pettapiece made a statement to call the government’s attention to their project. He wanted to stress the need for the Minister of Transportation to show he’s listening to the wide-ranging concerns that his constituents have expressed. The following is the text of his statement:

“Many of my constituents have concerns about the government’s plans for Highway 7 and 8. It matters especially to those who live along the route between New Hamburg and Stratford.

“Here are just a few of the issues that matter to them: heritage preservation, safety considerations, the environment, regional traffic flow, movement of agricultural equipment, the impact on residents and businesses in Shakespeare, fair consideration of property values, among many more concerns.

“These issues matter to them, and they matter to me.

“In December, I requested a comprehensive briefing by Ministry of Transportation officials on the plan for Highway 7 and 8. In January, that briefing took place. I expressed many of the views and concerns I’ve heard from constituents. In February, I met with ABC – the Agriculture Business Communities Group.

“In March, I attended Perth County Council’s joint meeting with the councils of Perth East and Perth South. I listened as councillors spoke up with tough questions for ministry staff and AECOM staff.

“Here’s what I’m asking of the Minister of Transportation: He needs to listen carefully to my constituents’ views. The minister needs to do his homework. He needs to show he’s listening, and he needs to show us that our concerns are being addressed.

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”

- 30 -

Randy Pettapiece, MPP

Phone 519-272-0660 / 1-800-461-9701

Email randy.pettapiececo@pc.ola.org

Mpp sends letter to Minister

Below are pages one and two of a letter from MPP Wilkinson, sent to the Minister of Transportation, which summaries the results of a meeting with the MTO.
JW Letter to MTO Pg 1 Aug 2011




JW Letter to MTO Pg 2 Aug 2011

Fall Update

Fall Update

Earlier this year the Minister of Transportation wrote to ABC. ABC thought long and hard about what was being offered to us by the Minister of Transportation. (See letter at www.hwy7and8.blogspot.com )

A volunteer meeting to consider all options was held. As it was high season for agriculture in a difficult year, we asked for time to consider what the Minister was suggesting. ABC again did more research and had decided to refuse the Minister.

Before we took that final step we asked Mr. Wilkinson, MPP for advice about our response for the Minister. Mr. Wilkinson eventually facilitated a meeting to see if there was any common ground. The letter of Aug 1st is the result.

ABC has held meetings over the summer to try to identify the MTO next steps. At this time the selected route has not been confirmed.

We continue to stress the importance of retaining agricultural land and businesses and the potential impacts to our livelihoods that would result from restricted road access.

More recently we spoke with the MTO Regional Director for the study area about the issues.

A copy of the letter to the Minister of Transportation summarizing the meeting with ABC and MTO staff has been posted to the website.

Read the letter for all the details at : www.hwy7and8.blogspot.com

MPP sends letter to Minister

John Wilkinson, MPP sent the letter below to Minister Wynne. Along with the letter from Mr. Wilkinson, the material sent to Minister Wynne included a Summary of the issues ABC still has and a copy of the mapping presentation, which was presented at the March 2010 workshop. A copy of the Issues is also below.

JW Letter to Minister 062010

June 24 Final

ABC meets with MPP

In March of this year, ABC participated in a workshop sponsored by the Study Team for a special review of Shakespeare and area. In response , ABC put together another detailed report consisting of maps for the area defining an integrated agriculture business unit, visually showing the positioning of 10 sample units and demonstrating travel patterns for nutrient management etc.

Since this explained so well what the MTO and the study team has to date failed to grasp, ABC took this and portions of the Study Team material, to our MPP, John Wilkinson to ensure he was well briefed on the process issues we have been dealing with.

We had a very good and detailed meeting. Below is the letter ABC sent to Mr. Wilkinson after the meeting.

May 2010 MPP Wilkinson

ABC brings concerns to MPP

In April of 2009, ABC visited with John Wilkinson, MPP for Perth-Wellington. During our visit we provided MPP Wilkinson with some issues of concern to our members. We were invited to provide his office with a summary and our issues were passed on to the Minister as we had requested.

Much thanks to Mr. Wilkinson for moving these agricultural issues forward to the Minister.

Below are our letters to Mr. Wilkinson and his resulting letter to Minister Bradly.

MPP Wilkinson MTO Considerations


Appendix A



Suggested Changes to MTO Boiler Plate for Class EAs


Letter to Minister