Comments provided to the City of Brampton Planning Department regarding a proposed development on the east side of Heart Lake Road located about mid-way between Sandalwood Parkway and Mayfield Rd.

I want to provide comments on the above application on behalf of the Brampton Environmental Alliance Board and its members. The property lot in question is located across the street from the Heart Lake Conservation Area which is a valuable tourism and recreational asset for the City of Brampton. A main reason this area is so popular is because of the large number and diversity of plants and animals that can be experienced there. Biodiversity flourishes not just because of the natural heritage amenities within the park itself, but because of the richness of the surrounding natural heritage systems that, historically, have been left relatively undisturbed by development. That pattern of isolation has begun to change, however, in recent years.

The entire Heart Lake Road area between Sandalwood Parkway and Mayfield Rd. was designated by the city as a “Cultural Heritage Landscape” in 2020. This means it should be subject to even greater scrutiny to protect the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area.  In 2019 Heart Lake Road underwent a Function and Design Review which underscored the importance of maintaining the historical cross-section of the road and emphasizing recreational vs commercial or industrial uses. In fact, truck traffic is not permitted along most of this road section.

We are concerned that the land section bounded by Countryside Dr. to the south, Mayfield Rd. to the north, Heart Lake Rd. to the west and Hwy 410 to the east is listed in the Brampton Plan generally as “employment lands”. This land section contains many natural heritage elements as defined in the 2024 Brampton Plan including, highly vulnerable aquifers, provincially significant wetland areas, and a valleyland and watercourse corridor. Recent developments both north and south of Countryside Drive are already putting stress on the entire ecosystem which could affect the medium and long-term sustainability of the Conservation Area’s natural heritage features.

The HL Industrial Holding Inc. proposal is an example of a use of land which appears to be incompatible with the cultural heritage designation and with environment protection and ecosystem maintenance of the area. If the project is allowed to proceed, over 90% of the surface area of the property will be covered with impervious material with no apparent management to control and detoxify stormwater runoff. The business will be reliant on large volumes of heavy vehicle traffic along Heart Lake Rd. which is inconsistent with the desire to encourage access to the Conservation Area by active transportation. The streetscape will be impersonal and imposing. There has been no apparent thought to the transition edge between the industrial and recreational uses of Heart Lake Rd., to the creation of a walkable 15 minute community for the housing development south of Countryside or for providing a nature corridor that would connect the natural heritage elements on the east side of the development area to the main wetlands and wooded areas south of Countryside and to the Conservation Area itself.

The protected natural heritage system area looks to be much smaller than what is there now and appears to be insufficient to maintain current biodiversity levels. It is unclear if hydrological studies been conducted to understand the impact of increased levels of impervious surfaces on water tables and water quality.  How can there be confidence, therefore, that water table levels and water temperature, salinity and quality will not be adversely affected?  Has a forecast traffic analysis been conducted to estimate the impact of increased vehicle loads on traffic congestion, on road maintenance costs, and on wildlife reproductive and migratory patterns? What protections, other than the already installed nature fencing and under road corridors, will be taken to avoid wildlife vehicle collisions along the section of Heart Lake Road between Countryside Drive and Mayfield Road? What steps will be taken to improve the naturalization on the east side of Heart Lake Rd. that will attract more birds and animals, dampen road noise, and encourage people to travel the road by means other than by car? These are some of the main questions that should be adequately addressed by the proponent before this application is approved.