The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is working to provide for the efficient movement of people and goods within the context of the province's Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe as released in July 2006. This broad based plan represents a planning "vision" for the Province of Ontario. As a part of this vision, the plan sets out policies regarding "Where and How to Grow", "Infrastructure to Support Growth", "Protecting What is Valuable", "Sub-Area Growth Strategies" and "Implementation".

Consistent with the direction of the Growth Plan, MTO initiated the formal Environmental Assessment process for the 427 Transportation Corridor in 2006.

The purpose of the EA study was to:

• Address existing and short-term transportation problems related to the current Highway 427 terminus, truck traffic accessibility to and from the CPR Vaughan Intermodal Facility, and their impact on inter-regional traffic in the Peel-York boundary area;

• Identify and protect required property for any proposed transportation corridor and allow planned development to occur outside of the transportation corridor;

• Ensure that alternatives / preferred solutions will not preclude or predetermine planning for other transportation corridors.