Most people
don’t care about environmental assessments, or the fact that the
provincial government is now shortening the length of time it takes
to complete one. However urban dwellers do care that a proposed
transportation project is right for a particular corridor as well as
for the larger city. It’s just as important that affected
neighbourhoods be consulted meaningfully throughout the process of
designing and building any new line.
Environmental
assessments may not sound like they are about coming up with the
best plan, or guaranteeing lots of public input -- but EAs have
often been the only way to ensure both of these important goals
happen.
It’s true the
GTA is far behind in building good transit but short, six-month EAs
can’t become a means of ignoring necessary criticism. Yes, some
people fight anything that may alter their existing neighbourhood,
effectively demanding that a planned transit line be watered down to
nothing or that a subway be dug to minimize the impact at street
level. With just these two options, we fall further behind.
Close-minded
opposition must not delay needed projects but there still has to be
room in the process for us “non-experts” to make crucial
contributions. Transit schemes -- even good ones -- have flaws that
only thorough debate can reveal. Ongoing consultation and
flexibility on the part of government officials may actually nourish
community support.
Politics have
primarily driven GTA transit planning over the last 20 years, and
shorter EAs won’t reduce that influence. In fact, it’s likely no
legislation can guarantee that politicians and planners will
genuinely go to citizens and taxpayers and ask what they want -- or
consult communities throughout a project.
It’s not enough
that people get a chance to voice their opinion during elections --
when transit plans are but one part of a larger campaign platform --
or during a narrow window after many important decisions have
already been made. Municipalities did involve citizens when their
official plans were drawn up, but many of the transit projects now
on the table were only superficially debated back then -- if at all.
If the EA process can’t ensure real public input, than what will?
It may be too
late for several dubious plans already in the pipeline, such as the
Spadina subway extension to Vaughan. And yet there is at least a
chance to help ensure the GTA transport grid includes smart new
lines. Go to metrolinx.com and click on
“Regional Transportation Plan”. Try to comment now, or keep visiting
during 2008. Eventually topics will appear that you ought to
critique.
Also, take note the province says it will ask for public comment on
the planned EA changes.