West Don River in E.T. Seton Park Major Maintenance Project

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has formally initiated a Conservation Ontario’s Class Environmental Assessment for the West Don River at E.T. Seton Park Major Maintenance Project, in the City of Toronto.

LATEST PROJECT UPDATES

November 19, 2020: TRCA issued the Notice of Intent (NOI), to formally initiate the Class Environmental Assessment process.

December 2, 2020: TRCA installed NOI signs in E.T. Seton Park to inform park users about the project.

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Project Location

The project is located southwest of the intersection of Eglinton Avenue East and Don Mills Road, in the City of Toronto. The project area is along a section of the West Don River that flows through the Ernest Thompson Seton Park. There are three clusters of erosion hazards sites within the project area (see map below).

Learn More About the Project

Project Progress Tracker

study icon Erosion Risk Analysis & Geomorphic Assessment
2019 to 2020
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public consultation icon Notice of Intent
November 19, 2020
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alternative solutions icon Development of Alternative Solutions
Fall 2020
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public consultation icon Public Information Centre Meeting*
February 2021
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Click Here for Future Steps!
preferred alternative icon Selection & Analysis of Preferred Alternative*
2021
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public consultation icon Public Information Centre Meeting #2*
2021
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project plan icon Preparation of Project Plan*
2021 to 2022
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public consultation icon Notice of Filing & Public Review of Project Plan*
2022
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project approval icon Notice of Project Approval*
2022 
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project planning icon Planning & Implementation*
2023 to 2025
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public consultation icon – Marks points of public consultation as per the Class EA process. Public consultation will continue throughout project planning and implementation via website updates, mailing lists, public notices, and project signage.

* All future project stages and dates are tentative and subject to change.

Project Background

In the late 1960s, TRCA constructed 18 erosion control structures along the West Don River between Eglinton Avenue and Overlea Boulevard. The erosion control structures include revetments, retaining walls, and slope treatments. These structures protect public lands, parks, and sewer infrastructure.

TRCA has been monitoring the structures within E.T. Seton Park for decades as part of the Erosion Hazard Monitoring Program. Recent monitoring shows that many of the erosion control structures are failing and no longer working as intended.

failing gabion basket retaining wall in seton park
Failing retaining wall within project area. Source: TRCA, 2018.

Instead of fixing one failing structure at a time, TRCA wants to find a comprehensive solution for the erosion issues in the project area.

With this goal, TRCA hired Palmer Environmental Consulting Group (Palmer) to complete a geomorphic assessment and an erosion risk analysis. Palmer studied the watercourse activity within the project area, identified areas of concern and made recommendations for each existing erosion control structure.

Based on Palmer’s study, three (3) clusters of erosion sites exist within the project area where parkland, trails and/or sewer infrastructure is at risk. TRCA intends complete maintenance work at these sites to ensure public health and safety.

Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA)

To find the best solution for the three sites, TRCA started the Conservation Ontario’s Class Environmental Assessment for Remedial Flood and Erosion Control Projects (Class EA).

Conservation Authorities have approval to use this process for projects that will protect human life and property from flood or erosion problems.

The Class EA process outlines the steps required to determine the best solution for addressing erosion hazards. Under the Class EA, a variety of alternative solutions will be developed for each cluster site.

Finally, TRCA will review the options and select a preferred alternative for each site. The preferred alternative is the best solution for erosion protection. It also mitigates or avoids the environmental effects that may be caused by the project.

Feedback from public consultation is also important in selecting the preferred alternative. TRCA has hired Palmer to develop alternative solutions and assist with the Class EA.

The Class EA process guarantees opportunities for public and stakeholder participation throughout the planning stages of the project. Please see the Public Consultation section for more details.

Scope of Work

The current scope of work is to select a preferred alternative for the erosion concerns by going through the Class EA process. A Project Plan outlining the preferred alternative will be available to the public for a 30-day review and comment period.

Future steps:

  • Develop detailed designs based on the preferred alternative
  • Obtain all necessary permits and approvals
  • Construction of preferred alternative (pending availability of funding and receipt of all permits and approvals)

Construction Information

The construction phase of the project is tentatively planned for 2024/2025.

Construction planning will begin after detailed designs for a preferred alternative are underway. Information about work areas, access routes, and construction timelines will be posted here when the construction phase has been confirmed.

Public Consultation

The Class EA process guarantees opportunities for public and stakeholder participation throughout the planning stages of a project. Consultation includes local residents, indigenous groups, community interest groups, affected landowners, and various government review agencies.

The consultation process considers concerns about the proposed project when developing alternative solutions and selecting the preferred solution.

TRCA will coordinate these consultation opportunities, and then post updates and scheduled meetings to this web page.

November 19, 2020: TRCA issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to inform the community that the Class EA for this project has formally begun.

The notice was sent to councillors, community groups, indigenous groups, and other stakeholders. TRCA also published the NOI through flyers in the local neighbourhood and online advertisements.

The NOI requests that individuals contact the Project Manager to participate in the EA process or stay informed of the project.

TRCA invites you to participate in the consultation process for this project. Your input is valued and will be considered in the planning and design process.

PUBLIC NOTICES

A Notice of Intent was published for this project on November 19, 2020.

NOI park signs were installed on December 2, 2020 to inform park users about the project:

Notice fo Intent sign posted within Seton Park to engage park users.
Notice of Intent sign posted within Seton Park to inform park users about the project.

Project Updates

Fall 2020 Update:

  • The Notice of Intent was published on November 19, 2020 to formally start the Class EA process.
  • A Public Information Centre (PIC) meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 2021 to present the preferred alternative solution to interested stakeholders.

Summer 2020 Update:

  • Palmer completed a Geomorphic Analysis and Erosion Risk Assessment for the project area.
  • TRCA retained Palmer to undertake a Class EA for the project area.

Contact Us

For more information regarding this project, please contact:

Divya Sasi, Project Manager
Erosion Risk Management, Engineering Projects
Restoration and Infrastructure Division
Email: divya.sasi@trca.ca
Phone: (416) 661-6600 ext. 6463