Twinning the Garden City Skyway might happen sooner than expected

The Ontario government has prioritized the long-anticipated twinning of the Garden City Skyway, designating it on a list of major highway projects for expedited development, sparking questions among residents in the area where the new bridge is expected to land. 

The new PC legislation, Bill 212, outlines a series of projects identified by the government as essential for improving the movement of goods and people throughout the province. These projects are given priority status under the Act to expedite their completion. Notable among them are the twinning of the Garden City Skyway, the construction of Highway 413, and the Bradford Bypass. Additionally, the Act grants the Minister the authority to designate further projects as priorities in the future to address emerging infrastructure needs. The PC government has provided limited evidence for how these scattered highway projects will solve congestion issues plaguing the GTA. 

Rumours and reports about the future of the iconic bridge that spans the Welland Canal have circulated for over a decade, spurred in part by a 2011 public consultation aimed at exploring options for life cycle management of the vital piece of infrastructure. This was followed by a 2013 announcement that the Ministry had concluded that twinning the existing skyway would be the most suitable course of action. Relatively little was heard after that until early spring of this year. It was April 5th when Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria and Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhof hosted a press conference in St. Catharines to announce the project was proceeding, the requests for proposals were ongoing and the design phase would start in 2025 with shovels in the ground by 2026.  

The Bill grants the Minister expanded powers over various highway and infrastructure projects across the province. These powers include prohibiting landowners of expropriated properties from applying for adjustments to the expropriation date, mandating utility companies to relocate or remove utility infrastructure, and exempting certain projects—specifically Highway 413—from the Environmental Assessment Act. Additionally, the Bill overrides local bylaws, including noise restrictions, to allow the unrestricted 24-hour delivery of goods and services to support the projects.

A rendering of the twinned Garden City Skyway.

(Infrastructure Ontario)

Parts of the Act have faced criticism from advocacy groups like Environmental Defence. 

“The bill ignores environmental values, hinders affordable solutions to traffic congestion, undermines efforts to deliver affordable infill housing, and puts the provincial government on a collision course with the federal government,” the organization stated in a press release.

It is not clear exactly how Bill 212 will affect the Garden City Skyway project. 

In response to an enquiry from The Pointer, MTO spokesperson Tanya Blazina confirmed that “All property needed for the Garden City Skyway Twinning project has been already purchased” and therefore there will be no further expropriations. If any property holders were applying to adjust (delay) the date at which the province takes control of their land it appears they will now be prevented from doing so, but it’s unclear whether those provisions of the Act apply to this project or not. It seems likely that noise bylaws may have to be set aside, but at this early stage it remains unclear.

When asked for her response to the announcement that the Garden City Skyway was included on the list of projects to be expedited, Jane-Anne McMillan expressed a sense of encouragement and optimism about the future. “I’m encouraged by the opportunities and positive impacts this project can bring to the Facer Street area and the wider community,” she stated. McMillan emphasized that Facer Forward, the community group she co-founded and co-chairs, has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Facer Street neighborhood is prepared to engage with this significant development.

She highlighted the group’s ongoing efforts, which have included organizing community meetings, liaising with local leaders, and developing proposals that emphasize community benefits. “Our goal has been to position the Facer Street area as a proactive partner in this project,” McMillan said. “We’ve been collaborating with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to create a vision that maximizes the positive impact the twinning project could have.”

McMillan believes that community involvement is critical to shaping the long-term benefits of infrastructure projects. “We’re determined to ensure that the Facer Street community doesn’t just experience the challenges but also reaps the rewards of such an ambitious project,” she added. This forward-thinking approach is aimed at fostering improvements that go beyond the immediate construction, contributing to a lasting legacy that enriches the local area for years to come.

Alice Degan, Executive Director of Facer Forward, emphasized that the promise of a commitment to a community benefit by developers can “smooth the path to completion of a project by securing community buy-in. As the developer makes binding commitments to the community, the community responds with commitments of their own in support of the project. This type of agreement can speed up the approvals process, avoid disruptions and prevent litigation.”

A ministry spokesperson stated that “As the project progresses, more details, including construction timelines will be shared. The ministry will continue to work with municipalities, community groups and the public throughout the project. There will be opportunities for these groups to learn more about the project—and provide feedback—during the project’s development phase.”

The Request For Proposals phase of the project ends on November 22. The Province will then select the partner who will build the bridge and shortly in the new year the design phase will begin.  

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