Bradford Bypass

Action Steps

1. Support Responsible Planning and Spending on the Bradford Bypass by signing our petition!

2: Support Municipal Action by Calling Your Councillor

KEEP GOING! If you’re a resident of the Lake Simcoe watershed please contact your councillor in the fall of 2023 to ask them to pass a resolution to support better planning and justification of the Bradford Bypass. Read this letter to municipalities and then write or call your Councillor to ask them to support the motion.  Use our Council contact list to find your local councillor

Read: Our press release – “Environmentalists urge province to reveal health impact of Bypass”

The Issue

The province of Ontario is recklessly putting the cart before the horse by starting to build the Bradford Bypass before necessary research and planning have been completed.

They are building a bridge at Yonge St. north of Bradford in the fall of 2022 without committing to manage:

    • Impacts on human health, climate change, or Lake Simcoe;
    • The cumulative effects of the loss of fish habitat over the entire project;
    • Salt pollution in Lake Simcoe: In 37 years, Lake Simcoe could reach the chronic guideline level of salinity. A salt-spewing highway will hasten this change;  
    • Current and future local traffic congestion;
    • There is also no budget and no complete engineered drawings of the highway.
This is no way to protect Lake Simcoe and its fish!

Highway 413 & Bradford Bypass Explainer by The Narwhal

 

This summer our awesome Federal Summer Student and volunteers went around the areas where wells are likely to be affected by the Bradford Bypass with this postcard: 

Catch up on the dirt quickly with these excellent short videos:  

If you missed our Bradford Bypass town hall series you can watch the presentations here!

Find super – short videos on our shorts playlist

or watch longer segments of the Bypass Town Hall talks here.

Topics include: Bill Foster on traffic, history and process; Margaret Prophet on costs, alternatives, and what we really want; Claire Malcolmson on water impacts to Lake Simcoe, groundwater, and well users; Laura Bowman on health impacts in particular to vulnerable people including children.

Listen to Claire talk about Lake Simcoe & the Holland Marsh Highway on the WILD ONTARIO podcast

 

 

Fact-Sheet-Bradford-Bypass

 
Want to know more? Bradford Bypass Timeline: A Story in Brief

10,000 people, seven municipalities, and 63 organizations have asked for additional provincial or federal impact assessment for this highway. 

Neither level of government has agreed, and we are not satisfied with their reasons.

Read: Bradford Bypass Final Decision Press Release

Get Involved in this grassroots effort to Stop the Bradford Bypass. Email rescuelakesimcoecoalition@gmail.com.

Our Advocacy

Municipal

    Provincial

      Federal

        In The Media

        November 9, 2023- Barrie Today: Innisfil council hits brakes on ‘prudent’ Bradford Bypass motion

        November 4, 2023- The Pointer: PCs make another move to greenlight environmentally disastrous Highway 413 

        October 10, 2023- Ballet Vox Podcast #79: Two renewed threats to Ontario’s critical greenspaces

        June 26, 2023- CTV News: Environmental groups raise red flags over Bradford Bypass impact report

        June 26, 2023- Barrie Today: Public commenting period ‘too short’ for Bradford Bypass project

        June 21, 2023-Bradford Today: Environmentalists say local roads, not bypass, would solve traffic woes

        June 16, 2023- Bradford Today: Bradford couple refuses to ‘bypass’ support of community

        June 1, 2023-Simcoe.com: Got questions about the Bradford Bypass? Town halls planned in York Region, Bradford

        May 27, 2023- Barrie Today:  Town-hall meeting to discuss Bradford Bypass set for June

        May 3, 2023- The Trillium: Bradford Bypass to cost at least $1 billion, Infrastructure docs show

        May 1, 2023-Law Times: Environmental groups celebrate federal court ruling on the Bradford Bypass

        May 1, 2023- YorkRegion: Lake Simcoe’s health is a ‘serious concern’: letter to the editor

        May 1, 2023- The Pointer: Court ruling on Bradford Bypass highlights Liberal government’s empty words on environmental protection

        May 1, 2023- YorkRegion.com: From kidnappings to cannon-sinking, what lies beneath the Bradford Bypass route?

        April 30, 2023- The Energy Mix: Court ruling renews calls for federal review of Ontario’s Bradford Bypass

        April 28, 2023- BarrieToday: Bradford Bypass will cost more than $800M: Transport minister

        April 28, 2023- YorkRegion.com: Federal court finds Bradford Bypass decision was unreasonable

        April 25, 2023- EcoJustice: Groups celebrate major win for public participation in court case related to Bradford Bypass 

        April 25, 2023- Bradford Today: Denying federal impact assessment for Bradford Bypass ‘unreasonable’

        Apr 23, 2023- The Star: ‘Absolutely destroying our community and our environment’: Environmentalists rally north of Newmarket

        Apr 22, 2023- Bradford Today: Environmentalists rallying in Holland Landing on Earth Day weekend

        Apr 17, 2023- Simcoe.com:‘Fascinating … infuriating’: Webinar explores Bradford bypass history and concerns about the future

        Apr 14, 2023- York Region: Open letter asks Ford government to step up in protecting Lake Simcoe

        February 21, 2023- Aware Simcoe: LETTER: Province hasn’t been up front on Bradford Bypass

        February 5, 2023-Federal government flip flops on intervention to stop Doug Ford’s assault on the environment

        December 15, 2022 – Ontario is poised to double the size of the Bradford Bypass, documents suggest

        December 9, 2022 – LETTER: Local groups urge feds to protect natural areas

        November 30, 2022 – thepointer.com: A dark day for Ontario: Bill 23 passes, dooms climate change strategies across the GTHA, locks in a future of urban sprawl 

        November 9, 2022 – CTV News: Construction to begin on bridge crossing over future Bradford Bypass

        October 14, 2022 – OrilliaMatters.com: Bradford Bypass will ’cause harm’ to Lake Simcoe, fish: critics

        September 28, 2022 – National Observer: ‘This is what’s in danger’: Requiem for the Holland Marsh

        May 27, 2022 – OrilliaMatters.com: THE BIG READ: Inside the endless battle over the Bradford Bypass

        March 21, 2022 – The National Observer: Environmental groups file lawsuit against federal minister over Bradford Bypass

        March 20, 2022 – The Pointer: Case for Bradford Bypass ‘thin at best’: environmental groups take federal environment minister to court

        February 17, 2022 – OrilliaMatters.com: Concerned citizens vow to fight against bypass, despite ‘infuriating’ federal decision

        February 16, 2022 – The National Observer: Environmental groups ask federal fisheries minister to intervene in Bradford Bypass

        February 14, 2022 – Toronto Star: Salt contamination of Lake Simcoe a frightening warning about highway expansion. An Op-Ed by Claire Malcolmson

        February 10, 2022 – The Narwhal: Federal government rejects second call for review of Ontario’s Bradford Bypass highway project

        February 10, 2022 – The National Observer: Feds deny second request to intervene in Bradford Bypass project

        February 10, 2022 – OrilliaMatters.com: Local group says feds’ decision not to intervene on Bradford Bypass is ‘beyond disappointing’

        January 22, 2022 – BradfordToday.com: LETTER: Province needs to consider other ways to reduce traffic congestion in the area

        December 2, 2021 – OrilliaMatters.com: Auditor General’s findings underscore Bradford Bypass concerns: Coalitions

        October 31, 2021 – Toronto Star: What the Ford government hasn’t told you about its next controversial highway project

        October 12, 2021 – TheStar.com: Lake Simcoe environmental groups concerned after province grants Bradford Bypass exemptio

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