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The ABC posed the question to the MTO in February 2011. They received a response

from AECOM in March of that year.

The footprint of the entire route from west Stratford to east of New Hamburg

requires a total of approximately 500 acres of land.

However, when the ABC group looked into that number, they discovered that to bewrong as well.

It seemed the MTO didnt factor in the land required for a shoulder on the side of the

road along the stretch of highway. This means the 500 acres estimate was too low.

This time around, when asked how much farmland was expected to be used for this

project, Liane Fisher replied, approximately 200 acres of total land is estimated to

be required for the proposed highway 7/8 between Stratford and New Hamburg.

She later added that, additional acreage may be required as connections to

municipal roads are designed. These details will be further defined during the

Preliminary Design Phase of the study, which is ongoing.

Their answers are long winded, with no answer, Gras said, when asked about the

answers he received to similar questions from the MTO.

Brenda Jamieson, Consultant Project Manager for AECOM, was unavailable for

comment on these questions.

Another major concern of the ABC deals with the concession roads used by farmers

in the project area. These back roads, connect farmers to their fields, and if they are

cut off, could be very costly to farmers who would need to detour around a major

highway.

Since the planning stages have not begun, the MTO has been unable to say which of

these roads will be cut off.

So whats the answer?

Gras feels more public meetings are required, but the format needs to change.

They need public forums, Gras said. Maybe a month or two months after a PIC

meeting they do a public meeting where you could ask them questions publicly, and

have them answer questions publicly.

I think they are more accountable to it then, he said. Because right now they

answer us and even if theyre wrong, they dont go back and correct anything.

Maybe the consultation process hasnt been what it should have been, said Randy

Pettapiece, MPP for Perth-Wellington.

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Earlier this month, acting on concerns from members of the ABC Group and other

members of his constituency, Pettapiece brought the issue of the 7/8 bypass to the

attention of Queens Park.

My reason for bringing it up at Queens Park was that there is too much angst in the

community as to this preferred route, he said. People dont think theyve been

listened to.

[The ministry] have to maybe reevaluate things, he said, like their facts and

figures and get things straight.

In response to the concerns, Pettapiece has also put in a formal request with the

ministry to release an official number for the loss of acreage caused by this project.

Gras, whose father owned the property when plans were made to make a highway

that went straight through the back lot of their farm, says despite the confusion

about his land, he continues work as usual.

I dont get frustrated because its not worth it, he said, we carry on business.

When asked about an approximate construction date, the MTO responded, this is a

long term project.

At this time, no funding has been marked for construction and the project is not

listed in our 2011-2015 highway construction program. Highway 7/8 Stratford to

New Hamburg is listed in the Southern Highways Program 2011-2015 under

Planning for the Future for possible future construction.

Currently, the study has planned two more rounds of PICs for the preliminary

design, one to be held this summer, another is scheduled for the winter of 2013