Figure 1: End-to-end Transportation System and Gordie Howe International Bridge
1.2
FISHERIES PLAN SCOPE AND PURPOSE
The scope of the Fisheries Plan is to outline mitigation measures and regulatory requirements to ensure appropriate protection of fish and fish habitat protection within the three (3) watercourses and one drainage channel to fulfill the requirements of Section 8 of the Bridge to Strengthen Trade Act S.C. (2012). The Plan also incorporates comments resulting from consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and approvals through the Drainage Act, R.S.O. (1990). The Fisheries Plan will be made available to the Early Works Contractor and any third parties working on the Project site once it has been filled with the Minister.
This Fisheries Plan has been prepared specifically for the proposed work on the Broadway Drain, as well as proposed works in the vicinity of three (3) additional watercourses that have been identified within the Project Limits, including: the Detroit River, Healy Drain, and the drainage channel (refer to Figure 2 for watercourse locations). The Healy Drain Fisheries Plan was prepared separately in order to obtain DFO acknowledgment and to allow the Healy Drain proposed works to proceed in advance of the Broadway Drain work. While this Fisheries Plan does not speak in detail to the proposed works along Healy Drain, this information can be found within the Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain which is provided in Appendix B. This Fisheries Plan will be submitted as an amendment, replacing the stand-alone Fisheries Plan for Healy Drain. This Fisheries Plan, which includes all watercourse features, will be filed with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, pursuant to the requirements of the BSTA.
The purpose of the Fisheries Plan is two-fold:
- To identify potential impacts to fish and fish habitat as a result of proposed works in and around Broadway Drain, Healy Drain, the Detroit River, or other surface water features within the Project limits including the identified drainage channel.
- To provide mitigation measures to prevent harm to fish and fish habitat and ensure that works carried out by the Early Works Contractor adhere to requirements outlined in the BSTA.