The team responsible for the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit project is temporarily pumping the brakes over potential heritage impacts.
So far, the team has identified 67 properties that may or may not have cultural heritage value that would be impacted by the construction of BRT.
In cases where heritage value is present, the team will have to look at ways to minimize or avoid impacts on that value.
“Through discussions with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, we determined there is a need at this point to more fully explore any potential heritage impacts and describe in detail our strategy for managing and mitigating any impacts,” says Jennie Ramsay, BRT project director in a news release.
“We opted to pause the process to assure the Ministry we are adequately addressing this matter of provincial concern before moving forward.”
A 120 day public consultation period was to conclude Oct. 4 when the project report would enter a 30-day public review time frame.
That's when a it would be sent to the Ministry of the Environment for consideration.
Officials say this pause won't have an impact on the 10-year project timeline.
