Abstract Manager

The Highway 401 Expansion Project (the Project) involves the widening and reconstruction of approximately 18 km of Highway 401, from east of the Credit River in Mississauga, to west of Regional Road 25 in Milton. The project was designed and built under a very aggressive schedule, with the project awarded in April 2019 and the completion of the expansion was in late 2022.

The project limits fall within the Sixteen Mile Creek and Credit River Watersheds and includes more than 25 drainage and watercourse crossings, some with sensitive fisheries covered under provincial and federal legislation including American Eel, Redside Dace and Brook Trout.  There is a mix of commercial, agricultural, industrial and residential land use with small patchy forested patches throughout the corridor.   Species at risk wildlife and habitat present includes Little Brown Myotis and Eastern Small- footed Myotis and associated habitat as well as Barn Swallow.  Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 4 archaeology investigations were completed in advance of construction commencing and carry out heritage assessments of two heritage resources including a house and a structure.  Groundwater and surface water quality and quantity had to be monitored during construction to ensure no impacts to water.

Key environmental permits and approvals need to be secured in advance of construction included a Bat Species at Risk Letter of Advice under the provincial Endangered Species Act, a 17(2)(c) Endangered Species Act Permit for Redside Dace, a federal Fisheries Act Authorization, federal Species at Risk Act permit, American Eel Letter of Advice under the provincial Endangered Species Act for works in the Credit River, concurrence by the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism  for the archaeology investigations and Permit to take Water and registration under the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry.

All permits had to be secured in advance of a very tight design schedule in advance of construction commencing.  Though this often resulted in a high-pressure environment, with no float in the schedule, the team was able to obtain necessary permits and approvals for construction, and all lanes were opened for use by the end of 2022. Best practices include incorporating longer timelines for permits and approval acquisition in the overall design/construction schedule, meeting with regulatory agencies in advance of permit and approval submissions, conducting site visits with regulatory agencies, being involved in design progression to minimize impacts to the environment, and strong collaboration between the environmental, design and construction teams.