Environmental consequences not worth ROW Airport runway expansion: Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Plans for runway expansion at the Region of Waterloo International Airport has left some environmentalists feeling concerned.

Local activists want the region to consider the environmental impact of the runway expansion project before moving ahead with the plans.

Councillor Tom Galloway says the federal government has put out a survey, trying to determine what mitigation measures would be required to deal with the environmental issues associated with this project.

“In one case, we would potentially be buying other land elsewhere and establishing certain types of habitats that would be part of the mitigation measure.”

Doug Wilson, president of the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, says re-establishing habitats won't work.

“When you take out a wetland, you will never replace it. This is an undisturbed wetland. You can't possibly ever replace that.”

Galloway said the expansion is necessary because it provides an alternative for incoming and outgoing flights in certain weather conditions which can make it difficult to use the main runway.

“We've had some flights from time to time that have had to be taken to Pearson, and people have had to bus back and that's pretty inconvenient.”

Galloway added regional council approved the expansion project years ago after broad public consultation, and they are now in the implementation stage of assessment, looking into the environmental impact of the project.

“Everybody is feeding into that. The region's feeding into that, neighbours, and other interests are feeding into that. The federal government will review all the responses and adjudicate accordingly.”

Wilson explained the expansion of runway 14-32 will have a significant impact on the Kossuth Bog Wetland Complex.

“That extension will cause the felling of probably over 2,000 trees in that wetland complex and on the conservatory's property.”

He clarified they don't want to stop expansion — they just don't want it to be at the expense of the Kossuth Bog Wetland Complex.

“I think there's plenty of things they can do in expanding the terminal, upgrading the tower. Other airports land larger airplanes as often as every 3 minutes. We have a lot of capacity here to do that.

“The one thing council can do is revisit that master plan and be as transparent as possible. Talk in real terms, don't talk about environmental impact. Talk about the felling of over 2,000 trees. Talk about the devastation of a provincially-significant wetland. Be transparent in those respects.”

Currently, The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is looking for feedback on the project and accepting applications until April 18.