York Region will continue to call on the province to build a long-awaited sewage treatment plant in East Gwillmbury — but, at the same time, will remain open to considering the government's proposed alternative in Durham Region.
After a lengthy private session with staff and lawyers Thursday, York regional council has decided not to abandon support of the $715-million Upper York Sewage Solutions project, despite word last July from the Ontario government that it is now considering a new southern trunk to transport wastewater to the existing Duffin Creek treatment plant in Pickering.
There has been much debate at council about how to respond, with Chairman Wayne Emmerson calling on councillors to stick to their guns and push for the new treatment plant that has already cost the region $100 million. However, the Town of Georgina, which opposes the Upper York project, is urging council to accept that the province is going in a different direction now.
On Thursday, regional council decided to do both, accepting the recommendation of the region's lawyers to reaffirm the position that the new treatment plant is the right solution, while not closing the door on the province's proposed alternative.
The project, which is crucial for planned employment and community growth of about 153,000 residents and employees in Newmarket, Aurora and East Gwillimbury, has been in the works for about a decade and was ready for the go-ahead from the province to begin construction in 2014. But that go-ahead never came.
Without the new treatment plant and additional sewer capacity, Newmarket's sewers will be at maximum capacity in about 10 years.
The Chippewas of the Georgina First Nation have opposed the project because the treated sewage will discharge into Lake Simcoe.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said the region needed to maintain a strong position.
"The province's solution is still potential; they haven't written something saying this (is their final decision)," he said. "This isn't just tough on Georgina; this is tough on a lot of other municipalities, very tough."
Markham Regional Councillor Jack Heath said the region should not have to reaffirm a position it has held for a decade.
"We have already taken a position," he said. "I have voted on this many years ago, and I still support it, and I don't want to vote on it again."
