Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project – Environmental Assessment

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, on behalf of and in cooperation with Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto has completed the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project (DMNP).

In order to implement the preferred conceptual design for the DMNP, provincial EA requirements must be met through the completion of an Individual EA, as defined in the Ontario EA Act. An Environmental Assessment is a study, which assesses the potential environmental effects (positive or negative) of a proposal.

The completion of the DMNP EA caps off an extensive planning process whose roots can be traced to a public meeting at the Ontario Science Centre in 1989. As required under section 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act and according to the Terms of Reference approved by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change on August 17, 2006, TRCA submitted and received approval of its environmental assessment in March of 2014.

A copy of the DMNP EA can be downloaded by Chapter in PDF format below. Access to previous versions of the EA as well as stakeholder consultation material can be found here.

• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Purpose of Undertaking
• Chapter 3: Description of the Potentially Affected Environment
• Chapter 4: Description, Evaluation, and Rationale for “Alternatives To” the Undertaking
• Chapter 5: Description, Evaluation, and Rationale for “Alternative Methods” of Carrying out the Undertaking
• Chapter 6: Description of Preferred Alternative
• Chapter 7: Detailed Assessment of the Preferred Alternative
• Chapter 8: Monitoring and Adaptive Environmental Management
• Chapter 9: Amendment Process
• Chapter 10: Consultation Record
• Chapter 11: Advantages and Disadvantages
• References
• Appendix A: Terms of Reference and Conditions Letter
• Appendix B: Navigation Risk Report and Updated Maneuvering Circle Assessment
• Appendix C: Cultural Heritage Properties
• Appendix D: Archaeological Assessment Existing Conditions
• Appendix E: Data for Criteria Assessment from the Terms of Reference and Comparison of “Alternatives To” Design Elements
• Appendix F: Assumptions, Comparative Evaluation, Criteria, and Indicators
• Appendix G: Standard Construction Techniques and Mitigation Measures
• Appendix H: Comparison of Alternatives 4WS and Alternative 4WS Amended by Environmental Factors
• Appendix I: Bridge Lengthening and Weirs at Lake Shore Boulevard
• Appendix J: Draft Grading Plan for Approval
• Appendix K: Summary of Habitat Features
• Appendix L: Don Narrows
• Appendix M: Criteria, Measures, and Indicators for Effects Assessment
• Appendix N: Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport
• Appendix O: Economic Effects Assessment Technical Memorandum
• Appendix P: Preliminary Noise Assessment Technical Memorandum
• Appendix Q: Consultation Materials

The DMNP EA Terms of Reference

The first step in the application to proceed with a project under the Environmental Assessment Act is the approval of a terms of reference (ToR). The ToR serves as a framework, or workplan, for how the EA will be designed and implemented. As an important component of the overall EA process, the public and other interested parties are given the opportunity to participate in the development of the ToR, and several public forums were held to receive feedback from stakeholders. The final version of the ToR, approved August 17, 2006, along with supporting Stakeholder Consultation Report, can be found below.

• Revised Terms of Reference (June 2006)
• Terms of Reference Response Table
• Terms of Reference submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
• Stakeholder Consultation Report