NPCA checking tree cutting at Thundering Waters
Too early to say if at-risk species or wetlands endangered by work
Municipal bylaw officers and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority are looking into a complaint over trees being cleared at the site of the $1.6billion Riverfront development in south Niagara Falls.
The complaint was filed earlier this week over concerns the work might be happening on land designated as a provincially significant wetland.
“It’s completely dependent on the type of work they’re doing,” said Michael Reles, manager of communications for the NPCA.
“Our staff is still investigating at this point and we really haven’t heard anything concrete back as to whether a violation of our regulations has occurred.”
Helen Chang, chief executive officer of the developer GR (Can) Investment Co., was not available for comment Friday.
The development – also informally referred to as Thundering Waters – was approved by Niagara Falls city council earlier this year but has been appealed before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, formerly the Ontario Municipal Board.
The massive proposal is expected to cost $1.6 billion and generate 3,000 direct jobs. It would be built over about eight years to include several thousand dwelling units, mostly geared to seniors but including some for tourists.
It would also feature train service linked to the Niagara Fallsview Casino as well as cafes and restaurants, health-care offices, art galleries and a large commercial area in an outdoormall setting.
The property south of Oldfield Road and east of the hydro canal is 484 acres, but 282 of those acres are designated as provincially significant wetlands where development cannot occur.
GR (Can), who parent company has built a similar-style development in China and owns numerous properties around the world, has promised to abide by environmental regulations in building Riverfront.
“There are areas within that parcel of land where work such as tree cutting, depending on how much and where they are cutting, could be permissible under our regulations,” said Reles.
City and regional bylaw officers are involved, he said, and Ministry of Natural Resources officers might be if at-risk species of trees are involved. Even if the wetlands aren’t being touched, cutting might still violate local tree bylaws.
The NPCA has staff who are designated as provincial offences officers, meaning they can enter private property for inspections without the owner’s consent. However, Reles said, “we do try to contact every landowner before we enter.”
He stressed it’s too early in the investigation to provide more detail, and said “we encourage compliance over conviction” in working with landowners.