Hazel McCallion LRT work that will help prevent flooding in Mississauga nearly complete
Published May 19, 2023 at 11:06 am
Crews working on an important part of the $1.4-billion Hurontario St. light-rail transit (LRT) route in efforts to prevent devastating Mississauga floods in the future have nearly completed their task.
Officials with Metrolinx, the provincial agency overseeing work on the 18-kilometre Hazel McCallion LRT, say both the 100-year-old Mary Fix Creek and Etobicoke Creek are being restored and revitalized as part of the massive project.
In an update this week, project leaders said reconstruction of the Mary Fix Creek channel in south Mississauga is more than three-quarters complete. Some 325 metres of the 400-metre channel work is now done.
The revamped creek channel will allow the City of Mississauga “to better manage storm flows and reduce the chance of flooding during storm events, such as Hurricane Hazel (in 1954).”
Project officials said earlier that work on the creek areas is crucial on several fronts.
“Not only is their restoration beneficial in enhancing habitat for local wildlife, but also for future flood risk, particularly at Mary Fix Creek,” said Mobilinx environmental manager Richard Booth earlier.
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Mobilinx is the constructor of the 19-stop transit route, which is expected to be completed in fall 2024. The completed Hazel McCallion Line will run from Port Credit GO station in south Mississauga all the way into Brampton.
Project officials noted earlier that the creeks are used as a natural flood management system as they reduce the flow of water prior to it reaching larger waterways.
“They offer a sustainable approach to managing and reducing the impacts of floods,” a Metrolinx spokesperson said in a project update last fall. “Creek networks are very beneficial to the environment and provide areas for species and habitats to thrive.
“These waterways provide important flood protection and prevent soil erosion in the local areas in Brampton and Mississauga.”
Flood walls being built along the new LRT line take future climate risks into account, officials say. And the Hazel McCallion LRT “…is being constructed in a manner that is adaptable and resilient to future environmental conditions.”
Reconstruction of the Mary Fix Creek channel is happening as part of #HazelMcCallionLine construction to better manage storm flows and reduce the chance of flooding during storm events, such as Hurricane Hazel. Approximately 325m of the 400m channel reconstruction is complete. pic.twitter.com/GkFAiYp6Zf
— Hurontario LRT (@HurontarioLRT) May 16, 2023
Named for a local pioneer, Mary Fix Creek flows from the Mavis Rd./Eglinton Ave. area in central Mississauga, then parallel to Hurontario St. south of the QEW before emptying into the Credit River at the CN bridge in Port Credit.
“This creek plays an important role in the city’s water infrastructure,” Metrolinx said, noting work crews are using extreme care around the creek.
“The creek provides vital flood protection and prevents soil erosion in the Port Credit area.”
The new creek bed is designed to handle a 100-year-flood, which could have been devastating to the local area, Metrolinx says. As part of this, the creek infrastructure is being widened and deepened.
“As part of our restoration plans, crews will plant native trees, shrubs and plants to enhance local biodiversity and help restore a natural heritage system,” said Booth. “It’s nice to see many birds and other wildlife species using the new areas already.”
Similar work is ongoing at Etobicoke Creek, which runs, in part, to the immediate west of Pearson Airport in Mississauga.
Meanwhile, Metrolinx said tracks are being laid this week on Hurontario St., near Derry Rd. The work will lead to lane reductions and other traffic restrictions through June 13.
The LRT line, when finished, will also hook up with various other transit services including GO, MiWay and Brampton Transit.
