ERIN – Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) says it has been unfairly criticized by Erin town councillors regarding delays in getting the Station Street bridge and dam construction started in Hillsburgh.
At an April 2 meeting, Mayor Allan Alls said the delay in getting an approval permit to proceed from the CVC represented “bureaucracy at its worst.”
He added the town is at risk of losing a $1.5-million grant for the project if the money is not used this year.
Alls suggested the CVC is dragging its heels because it opposes the project, which was approved by the Ministry of the Environment after an environmental assessment.
Councillor John Brennan said CVC has been “twiddling its thumbs” and has not been willing to share some technical data.
However, CVC CAO Deb Martin-Downs said that as of April 20, the town had not actually submitted its application for a permit. She said the comments that depict CVC “in a less than flattering way” are unfounded.
“We have accepted the decision of the Ministry of the Environment regarding the environmental assessment and have been working with the town and their consultants as they move through the design,” said Martin-Downs.
“We cannot process or approve something we have not had submitted, but we are committed to getting a timely review and permit completed when we do get it.”
Alls said that he was gathering information to provide clarification on the matter.
