Residents, lawmakers stand against Highway 413 protest in Bolton

Councillor Annette Groves among protesters who gathered at King and Queen streets

By Zachary Roman

The protestors message was clear: stop the proposed Highway 413 and utilize the existing Highway 407.

People against Highway 413 gathered at the intersection of King and Queen streets in Bolton at 2 p.m. on April 23. All four corners of the intersection were filled with protesters, who carried signs with messages such as: “Stop the 413”, “Free 407”, and “$10+ Billion Highway to Ruin”.

Many cars honked as they drove past and the flow of traffic was not impeded as the demonstrators did not block the intersection at which they protested.

Organizer Dan O'Reilly said he was pleased with the turnout and support.

Town of Caledon Councillor Annette Groves attended the protest and carried a “Stop the 413” sign. She said it's been “a little lonely” to be one of the few members of Caledon Council in opposition to the highway.

Groves said she and Councillor Ian Sinclair have been very vocal against the highway and that he's been to some demonstrations as well.

“I have always shown my support publicly, and taken a position publicly, against this highway because I don't believe that this highway is necessary,” said Groves.

“The route is going through quite a bit of viable farmland, wetland, (and) environmentally sensitive lands and we don't need it. We have an option available to us: It's called the 407. So, if we want to move goods and services today, there's your option, and you're not going to be disturbing all of those sensitive lands.”

Groves was also concerned about the amount of aggregate that would be needed to build the highway, adding it's likely a lot of it would come from Caledon. That in turn would increase noise, pollution and dust levels for Caledon residents, she said.

Groves said Caledon already has a traffic problem and doesn't need to add to it.

“I think part of the problem right now is that people, the public, believes that this highway is going to solve the gridlock and the traffic issues. But…experts have done studies and it has shown that it is not going to do that,” said Groves. “So, I encourage people just to do some research… don't take my word or the Premier's word, just look at what the experts are saying.”

Lucia DeMarco, a teacher in Toronto who is originally from northern Ontario, came to the protest because in the last 20 years, she said she's seen firsthand the amount of sprawl along Highway 400 and wants to stop something similar from happening along the proposed Highway 413.

She said she doesn't want to see more farmland bought up, that the 413 has not passed environmental assessments, and that it won't cut commute times.

“I'm pregnant… the Greenbelt is so depleted already with all this urban sprawl. And we're on top of it going to build this useless highway that goes through several wetlands and watersheds. We don't need this, what are we doing? We're going backwards on this environmental agenda and it's sad for the future generation,” said DeMarco.

She said in the short-term, the 413 might reduce commuter traffic slightly, but that soon enough it would create more congestion.

“You're not building the infrastructure for transit systems to happen. You're creating these pockets of communities that need to now access a highway in order to get anywhere, so they'll need to have more cars and vehicles,” said DeMarco.

She said if we as a society don't take action now to protect our farmland, watersheds and animals, our species' very future is at risk.

“The world will continue past when we're gone… if we don't take action now… what are we doing here?” said DeMarco.

Sherry Draisey, a resident of King Township, came to the protest because she said she's not the only one who thinks the 413 makes no sense. 

“It's just stupid,” said Draisey. “The 407 is technically a much better designed road, it has collector lanes, it crosses the city.”

She added the 413 would be a traffic and pollution disaster.

Sarah Dolamore has lived in Caledon for her entire life and intends on staying. She said she came out to the protest because if she didn't do anything to advocate against the 413, it would be too depressing.

She said as a teen she felt eco-anxiety — a chronic fear of environmental doom — before the term was commonly used.

“Young people, my generation and people coming after us, we need a reason to have hope that our leaders are actually listening to what we're hearing about the dire state of our future,” said Dolamore. 

“So, it's like, why are they intent on perpetuating the past — the planning decisions that got us into this mess in the first place — when there are perfectly viable and economically sound alternatives? There's just no reason for this blatant greed and cronyism. It's destroying the hopes we have for a livable future in the GTA and I just don't buy the line that it's the only way to go.”

Dolamore said so long as people in power continue to sink finite and valuable resources into projects like the 413, it will contribute to young people feeling discouraged, powerless, and apathetic.

While the situation can look grim for young people, said Dolamore, strength to fight can be found in past victories by environmental advocacy groups.

“For example, 25 years ago, the Oak Ridges Moraine plan came into effect at the provincial level and that wasn't even during the climate emergency we're in now… people in power were all blind to that as being a real threat. That started as a grassroots organization and it went on to become one of the most powerful policy tools,” said Dolamore.

“Success stories, I think, are really important to amplify… a lot of the messaging we're hearing right now is about hopelessness. So if you're feeling apathetic, even if it feels pointless to get involved, just don't turn away.”