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From CBC

Amazon will not build giant warehouse on wetland in Pickering.​


Amazon will not put the largest retail warehouse in Canada on the site of a protected wetland in Pickering, CBC News has learned.

An official with Amazon Canada said Friday that the company is no longer considering the Duffins Creek wetland property for its new fulfilment centre, a project that could be as large as four million square feet of warehouse space.

The news comes two days after an in-depth report by CBC News on the warehouse proposal for the wetland, located just off HIghway 401, east of Brock Road.

Friday is the deadline for the Toronto Region Conservation Authority to grant permission to the property owner, the Triple Group of Companies, to begin destroying the wetland.

It is not yet clear how Amazon's withdrawal from the proposal will affect the developer's plans to build on the wetland, which is designated as provincially significant.
 
Fingers crossed!

pickering.jpg
 
My further commentary:

Dave Ryan and much of Pickering Council should be tossed to the curb.

They are no better than those in Queen's Park who place short term expediencies ahead of ecological responsibility and foresight.

There is no point in this process where virtually everyone involved in making this mess; the proponent, Pickering Council, Mayor and staff; and the Ford government didn't disgrace
themselves.
 
Wouldn't be surprised if the ugly optics behind paving over the wetlands, and the ensuing backlash, is exactly what drove Amazon away--those so-called faceless megacorps aren't *that* oblivious to the local dynamics of wherever they bid to take root.

All in all, it's like a guy whose infatuation with "that other woman" leads him to dump his wife--and then "that other woman" dumps *him*, because she wants nothing to do with a creep who dumps his wife...
 
adma said:
Wouldn't be surprised if the ugly optics behind paving over the wetlands, and the ensuing backlash, is exactly what drove Amazon away--those so-called faceless megacorps aren't *that* oblivious to the local dynamics of wherever they bid to take root.

All in all, it's like a guy whose infatuation with "that other woman" leads him to dump his wife--and then "that other woman" dumps *him*, because she wants nothing to do with a creep who dumps his wife...
Click to expand...
Of course Amazon was put off the Pickering site by the poor publicity -- Amazon say they are always aware of environmental concerns and that may be so but I wonder if they would have said ;'no thanks" so firmly without the publicity but it's good that they did so. . In any case, one hopes some politicians (and developers?) have learned a lesson and the Pickenng wetlands and similar environmentally sensitive or heritage sites will now be left untouched.
 
DSC said:
Of course Amazon was put off the Pickering site by the poor publicity -- Amazon say they are always aware of environmental concerns and that may be so but I wonder if they would have said ;'no thanks" so firmly without the publicity but it's good that they did so. . In any case, one hopes some politicians (and developers?) have learned a lesson and the Pickenng wetlands and similar environmentally sensitive or heritage sites will now be left untouched.
Click to expand...
Unless Doug's Deco Labels & Tags decides to put a branch plant there in the wetlands in the east end.
 
Northern Light said:
My further commentary:

Dave Ryan and much of Pickering Council should be tossed to the curb.

They are no better than those in Queen's Park who place short term expediencies ahead of ecological responsibility and foresight.

There is no point in this process where virtually everyone involved in making this mess; the proponent, Pickering Council, Mayor and staff; and the Ford government didn't disgrace
themselves.
Click to expand...

They are very much in favor of business. My grandmother lives in a townhouse subdivision along Altona at Kingston Road right behind a gas station that houses a tow lot with collision damaged vehicles.

When she called to report all the leaking fluids, heavy tow trucks (think towing semis, buses, etc) they said there was nothing they could do despite the vehicles idling in a residential area. She has to keep her windows closed because of the diesel fumes and noise from the heavy tow trucks. She has seen puddles of automotive fluids coming from the cars and seeping into the soil.

They store at least 100 collision damaged vehicles there and it is bordering on a scrap yard.

Dave Ryan and her local councilor did nothing when it was brought to their attention and pretended the problem did not exist. They were more in favor of keeping the place in operation than dealing with a legitimate health and environmental concern.
 
Richard White said:
They are very much in favor of business. My grandmother lives along Altona at Kingston Road right behind a gas station that houses a tow lot with collision damaged vehicles.

When she called to report all the leaking fluids, heavy tow trucks (think towing semis, buses, etc) they said there was nothing they could do despite the vehicles idling in a residential area. She has to keep her windows closed because of the diesel fumes and noise from the heavy tow trucks. She has seen puddles of automotive fluids coming from the cars and seeping into the soil.

They store at least 100 collision damaged vehicles there and it is bordering on a scrap yard.

Dave Ryan and her local councilor did nothing when it was brought to their attention and pretended the problem did not exist.
Click to expand...

Try reporting it to the Ministry of Environment (in writing)

Should that go nowhere; go to the media.

There are almost always means to apply pressure.
 
Northern Light said:
Try reporting it to the Ministry of Environment (in writing)

Should that go nowhere; go to the media.

There are almost always means to apply pressure.
Click to expand...

I will keep that in mind. The story that was given by her local councilor was that they have the correct permits and licenses for their business despite the fact that they are basically operating a tow yard 10 feet from a residential area. Any normal person can tell this is not a safe thing to be operating this close to a residence.

The concern that we have is that if one of the vehicles caught fire it would be in the realm of 4 to 5 alarms given the condition of the vehicles. They drag them in from the nearby 401 and store them there.

The problem we have is that we don't know when they are brining the vehicles in and she is not tech savvy. She has no idea how or when to capture it on camera.
 
Richard White said:
They are very much in favor of business. My grandmother lives in a townhouse subdivision along Altona at Kingston Road right behind a gas station that houses a tow lot with collision damaged vehicles.

When she called to report all the leaking fluids, heavy tow trucks (think towing semis, buses, etc) they said there was nothing they could do despite the vehicles idling in a residential area. She has to keep her windows closed because of the diesel fumes and noise from the heavy tow trucks. She has seen puddles of automotive fluids coming from the cars and seeping into the soil.

They store at least 100 collision damaged vehicles there and it is bordering on a scrap yard.

Dave Ryan and her local councilor did nothing when it was brought to their attention and pretended the problem did not exist. They were more in favor of keeping the place in operation than dealing with a legitimate health and environmental concern.
Click to expand...

That's too bad, and NL's suggestion is a good step. I tried to find if there were any specific environment rules for repair and storage facilities and could not but could have missed it; however, leaking regulated fluids into the ground is fairly general. Be forewarned that, the way things have been going, the MOE is probably down to one part-time inspector. A nice long shot photo of a puddle might help.

One problem, besides living next to an industry with a high 'scuzzy fctor', is that zoning rules define classes of occupancy, not specific occupiers, and if repair and storage facilities are included, they're legal and hard boundaries between zoning classes are a fact of life. You also might want to check if the municipality/region has an anti-idling bylaw and how it is worded.

Good luck - you'll need it.
 
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