OTTAWA – Sierra Club Canada has joined with local Wakefield residents, Gatineau Park protectors, and large and small environmental groups in a call on Premier Jean Charest to temporarily halt construction of the A5 highway extension project near Wakefield village. At stake are 88 acres of old growth forest and the drinking water of thousands of people.
"The cumulative negative impacts of roads on species and ecosystem integrity are evident across the country, and it is the job of government to ensure every action is taken to minimize such impacts," said John Bennett, Executive Director. "It would appear this did not happen in the Wakefield case," he said.
Apart from two very short online public comment periods, there has been no active effort by MTQ to consult with local area residents since the original environmental assessment was conducted over 25 years ago in 1987.