Statement By Mike Marcolongo, Associate Director, Environmental Defence
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – The Ontario government’s decision to announce a request for proposals to design the Highway 410 extension to connect to Highway 413 as a “milestone” for Highway 413 is perplexing at best, considering the highway is nowhere near “construction-readiness”. The Highway 410 extension was announced as an “Early Works” through Bill 212 (Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024) over a year ago.
Through recent Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests, Environmental Defence can confirm that Highway 413 is far from being anywhere near “shovel ready”. Recent ATIP requests demonstrate that:
- Key permits have not been applied for or secured: Key Federal fisheries and Species at Risk Act permits have yet to be applied for by Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
- Highway 413 “Early Works” are not being built: The majority of Highway 413 “Early Works” introduced in Bill 212 (Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024) were not executed due to concerns from the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans about impacts on an endangered fish: the redside dace. The only “Early Works” to be initiated in 2025 was a repaving project in the vicinity of Highway 413 which MTO admitted to Federal colleagues that “…an existing project planned to resurface the pavement on a section of Highway 10 and this new bridge is located within this section”.
- Actual construction at least three years away: Federal government officials volunteered in communications that Highway 413 construction is not expected to start for “about 3 years”.
These findings are in contrast to the claims from the Ontario government that proclaimed in August 2025 with much fanfare that “Ontario Beginning Highway 413 Construction”.
“The Government of Ontario’s fixation on mega-highways and tunnels misses a key point”, stated Mike Marcolongo, Associate Director with Environmental Defence. “If we’re serious about congestion, roads and infrastructure should focus on moving more people, not more cars”.
By focusing on mega-highways (that may not be built), the Ontario government’s response to the congestion crisis is making the problem worse. The Western Greater Toronto Area’s traffic woes could be solved if market-based congestion measures are used (such as congestion pricing), if public transit operations are properly funded and if transit construction investments are properly managed. Evidence also shows that GO Train investments including 15-minute service, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) builds, dedicated bus lanes and prioritized transit signalling are all cost effective solutions that could be implemented next week, next month and next year – not sometime in the next decade or two.
The Government of Ontario should justify the costs of this environmentally destructive highway (estimated at $14 billion) that will pave over 400 acres of the Greenbelt and 2,000 acres of prime farmland, at a time when Canada’s independence from U.S. grocery imports is more important than ever.
The Ontario Government does not need to choose a pathway that results in fewer commuter choices and prolonged dependence on costly car ownership.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Karishma Porwal, media@environmentaldefence.ca
