Toronto's Medical Officer of Health objects to Metrolinx’s proposed diesel rail expansion in Georgetown South Corridor

The Medical Officer of Health has posted a Letter of Objection regarding the diesel train expansion.

The letter written to the The Honourable John Gerretsen Minister of the Environment  supports a transit expansion based on electrification, and  requests that, as Minister of the Environment, you permit the project to proceed only under the following conditions:

1. That new train services and service expansions proceed only as electrified services;

2. That Metrolinx be required to conduct ambient air quality monitoring prior to

implementation of new train services or service expansions, in order to establish an air

quality baseline and concentration gradient. The chemicals to be measured are:

• Combustion gases – carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide;

• Particulate matter (ultrafine (PM0.1), respirable (PM2.5) and inhalable (PM10);

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene,

benzene and acrolein;

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – total and benzo(a)pyrene; and,

• Greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide; and

3. That Metrolinx establish a community liaison committee to:

• Deal with issues arising from the proposed construction;

• Provide input on selection of mitigation strategies; and,

• Provide input to the mobility hub planning process.

full letter link here with more city docs link below.

• Backgrounder, August 2009 (PDF)
• Medical Officer of Health Letter of Objection, August 2009 (PDF)
• Medical Officer of Health Letter of Objection, Detailed Comments August 2009 (PDF)
• Staff Report Air Quality Impact Assessment, June 3, 2009 (PDF)– Metrolinx Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link
• Board of Health Decision Document, June 15, 2009 (PDF) – Air Quality Impact Assessment – Metrolinx Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link