Heavy truck traffic and poor air quality are among the concerns of a group of people in Milton, upset about the construction at CN Rail’s Logistics Hub in Milton.
The $250 million project isn’t sitting well with the Town of Milton, nor Halton, but just on Tuesday the Federal Court of Appeal struck down a lower court order halting construction.
The Halton Region and the Milton has been fighting this project for years — ever since construction first started back in 2021.
The councillor for the area says the construction and operation of the intermodal hub being so close, will pose serious health and safety risks — pointing specifically to air quality.
“That includes concerns about respiratory diseases, even cardiac diseases, in a community that is going to house at least 34,000 people, schools, hospitals, that is unacceptable,” said Ward 4 Councillor Sameera Ali.
It was these concerns that first led to a lower court to halt construction back in March.
But CN filed an appeal and requested stay of the decision. Last week that request was approved.
“That’s something that is disappointing for the community, myself too,” said Ali.
The $250 million project aims to double CN’s existing line of tracks in the area and construct a hub for containers to be transferred between semi trucks and freight cars.
Stacey Newman — with “Milton says no” — says that heavy truck traffic is a concern because of the potential increase in emissions. So she wants CN Rail to construct the hub somewhere else.
“We are not opposed to intermodal. it’s about putting these locations which are important in the Canadian landscape in good locations that are safe, that are zoned for heavy industry, that don’t pose a risk to residential communities in the direct vicinity,” said Newman.
The town says that it never gave CN Rail approval to close down Lower Base Line between First Line and Tremaine Road.
“When CN is allowed to do the things that they’re doing, it feels like we are powerless as a community,” said Newman.
CN has previously told CHCH News it received approval from the Canadian Transport Agency — and that it has attempted to collaborate with the region and town.
Ali says the the region and town will continue to fight the project.
CHCH News reached out to CN Rail for comment on Wednesday and have not heard back.
They have said in recent days that the project is critical to handle demand.