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137-584: Plans for an airport were developed during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The 1972 announcement affected properties in Pickering , Uxbridge , and Markham townships in York and Durham Regions. Residents were forced to leave as demolitions of houses and barns began. Preliminary airport construction activity was halted in 1975 when the provincial partner in the enterprise, the Government of Ontario , declared it would not build

274-454: A Pickering airport would disrupt community development plans and destroy "high quality farmland", that the rolling countryside would be costly to level, and that the town of Claremont would have to be phased out. Furthermore, the site offered no room for expansion. It was suitable for a two-runway airport, with four runways possible "but with considerably greater difficulty". In August 1971, Ontario planners came to similar conclusions, stating that

411-453: A Pickering airport would prevent the creation of two planned towns called Brock and Audley, destroy an area designated as a provincial agricultural and recreational preserve, and "have a major influence on the operation of Toronto International". Despite the site's drawbacks, which had led to Pickering's elimination early in the original site selection process, the federal announcement of March 1972, described Pickering as an "excellent" site. This

548-511: A collection of thematic layers containing information about the watersheds that can be linked together by geography. These layers are used for decision-making support and solutions to ecological restoration, property acquisition, fisheries management, planning and floodplain mapping. The TRCA and the City of Toronto have a georeferenced digital ortho-photo dataset of the GTA at a resolution of 0.5 meters, which

685-786: A corridor of land connecting the Rouge Park with the Oak Ridges Moraine . Management and protection details of the Federal Green Space plan were never formalized. On September 30, 2004, site zoning regulations were passed for an airport on the Federal Lands in Pickering. In November 2004, the GTAA submitted its Pickering Airport Draft Plan Report to Transport Canada. The plan was for a large three-runway reliever airport. The report also referred to

822-466: A meeting to discuss the progress of the Beare Hill Park and confirmed its integration into the greater Rouge National Urban Park. Work on the area has begun and it is predicted that the site will be open for the public in 2019. Plans for the site focus on trails for recreation, an observation deck and a focus on educating the public about how closed landfills are managed and rehabilitated. Parks Canada

959-757: A memory game for children, rewards for hiked distances, as well as an option to report issues. The app was launched on October 21, 2017, and is available on both IOS and Android phones in English, French and Simplified Chinese. Parks Canada has a partnership with iNaturalist , an online platform (and App) where people can upload observations of plant, insect and animal life in their area and contribute to citizen science. Through their partnership, they host BioBlitz events in their National Parks. Bioblitz are day (or multiday) events where visitors can interact with scientists and community members to find specific species of plants, insects or animals. Through June 24 and 25 of 2017,

1096-516: A new airport within the period under study and gave no indication as to when an airport might be needed after that. On April 18, 2023, the Minister of Transport announced that Transport Canada had issued a Request for Proposals, seeking aviation professional services contractors to help the department analyze current and future airport supply and demand in Southern Ontario. Once the scope of the work

1233-638: A number of complementary courses and classes. At the time of its opening, it was the only public post-secondary institution in the Province of Ontario with a direct connection to public transit. Rouge Park Rouge National Urban Park is a national urban park in Ontario , Canada . The park is centred around the Rouge River and its tributaries in the Greater Toronto Area . The southern portion of

1370-520: A number of smaller communities exist throughout northern Pickering, such as Greenwood . John Diefenbaker , a Prime Minister of Canada, lived in Greenwood for a number of years. The abandoned ghost town of Altona is located there. Cherrywood, another hamlet in Pickering, is one of the few areas that are protected within the Greenbelt . The communities of Kinsale in the northeast and Green River on

1507-471: A part of the larger Toronto ravine system ; which also includes the ravines surrounding the other rivers and creeks in the city . The created wetlands within the Rouge Park watershed serve ecological benefits like providing a reduction in flood force, a reduction in extreme nutrient amount as well as being a crucial habitat for organisms that are semi-aquatic. However, a problem has been shown to occur amongst

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1644-459: A potential Pickering airport". The Needs Assessment Study: Pickering Lands, Final Report was submitted to Transport Canada in March 2010. After a "due diligence review", Transport Canada released the report to the public on July 11, 2011. The study concluded that an additional airport would be needed "but it is not expected to be required before 2027 and possibly not before 2037". The study recommended that

1781-461: A potential future airport site. In June 2016, Transport Canada's consultant, Dr. Gary Polonsky, presented his report on airport stakeholder viewpoints based on 64 individual and small-group interviews in 2015 and 2016. The report was released to the public in November. It was billed as the first independent study done on the Pickering lands in a generation. Dr. Polonsky's first recommendation: "Undertake

1918-452: A resolution in council affirming that Oshawa airport will remain open until 2032 or longer. There are no operational and physical constraints that would inhibit Oshawa airport from operating when Pickering opens. In the draft plan presented by the GTAA in 2004, it proposed closing all three general aviation airports to jumpstart traffic at Pickering airport. Mixing the displaced general aviation traffic with increased heavy passenger jet traffic

2055-531: A sound business plan and if they are in the best interests of this community." On July 13, 2015, Lisa Raitt, the federal Minister of Transport, while confirming that no decisions had been made on the development or timing of a potential future airport, reaffirmed that the remaining lands were being retained for economic development, including a potential future airport. She also indicated that an independent advisor would be appointed to consult with local public and private interests on potential economic opportunities on

2192-610: A vocal group of anti-expansion residents there were in Premier-in-waiting William Davis's electoral riding. Within months of the halt to construction at Pickering, new federal Transport Minister Otto Lang was announcing that no new air carriers would be allowed at Malton for at least five years. Malton's general manager accused federal officials of stalling improvements to the airport as a way of making Ontario reverse its position and provide support infrastructure for Pickering after all. In November 1978, Minister Lang told

2329-468: A wetland. It is currently surrounded by the park to the west, north and east. There is an official trail in the Rouge National Urban Park where the hill can be viewed from but it does not allow access to the landfill area. Dirt trails to the hill have been created by patrons of the park who wish to gain a better view of Eastern Greater Toronto as it is one of the tallest points in the area. There

2466-652: Is Benjamin Wilson of Vermont , who probably lived in Pickering for sometime, before moving to Whitby in 1794. In the 1780s, the present-day Pickering area was a part of the Nassau District of the Province of Quebec . In 1791, Augustus Jones undertook a survey of the area, establishing the baseline and some of the concessions . The same year, the District was transferred to the newly created province of Upper Canada . In 1792,

2603-491: Is a concern to many small aircraft pilots who would have no choice but to use the new airport, as larger airports tend to be less friendly to general aviation, and more difficult for student pilot training. The future of the Pickering Airport Lands became an election issue in the 2015 Canadian federal election . In local candidate meetings only local Conservative candidates expressed support for building an airport on

2740-782: Is a founding member of the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance or DSEA. The nucleus of the DSEA is primarily Pickering businesses, such as Ontario Power Generation, Veridian, Siemens/Trench, Tetra Tech WEI, AECL, Intellimeter, Areva and Eco-Tec Inc. Other notable organizations with headquarters in Pickering include: Municipal Property Assessment Corporation . MPAC performs value assessment for property tax purposes for all municipalities in Ontario. In 2012 Search Engine People, Canada's largest Internet-marketing company, moved to Pickering's downtown. The International Institute of Business Analysis

2877-604: Is also a private elementary and junior high school there called Montessori Learning Centre. Also serving the Durham Region is Durham Secondary Academy and Middle School, an inspected private high school and middle school for grades 5 to 12. In September 2012, the Durham College/Centennial College Joint Learning Site opened at the north terminus of the pedestrian bridge. The Joint Learning Site offers primarily graduate certificate programs, with

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3014-507: Is also headquartered in Pickering. In 2006, Profit magazine recognized Pickering as one of the top 10 cities in Canada for growing a business. In 2013, the Region of Durham released its Business Count (Employment Survey), which indicated that Pickering has the most jobs amongst Durham Region municipalities, with 29,000+ positions. This figure represents a near 1/3 ratio of jobs to residents. With

3151-407: Is an archaeological site of an intact 17th century Seneca village and was designated a National Historic Site in 1991. The site includes the remains of an Archaic campsite, dating about 3,000 years old. Minimal excavations have been carried out, and the site includes a naturally protected midden, which is thought to contain a wealth of material. Because of its sensitive archaeological nature, it

3288-400: Is determined, Transport Canada will post a second Request for Proposals, seeking a third-party contractor to undertake the study as well as the consultation. The analysis, including "engagement with local stakeholders, the provincial and municipal governments, and Indigenous peoples" will be a first step towards "making a final decision on future airport capacity constraints in the region, and on

3425-505: Is divided into following neighbourhoods: In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Pickering had a population of 99,186 living in 33,425 of its 34,327 total private dwellings, a change of 8.1% from its 2016 population of 91,771 . With a land area of 231.1 km (89.2 sq mi), it had a population density of 429.2/km (1,111.6/sq mi) in 2021. The city has estimated that by 2031, Pickering will be home to 131,608 residents. In 2021, 16.5% of

3562-522: Is no solid barrier between the park and the landfill which allows animals and park patrons alike to traverse through the space, believing it to part of the park. The wetlands at the site are significant for many species such as bobolink , milk snakes and the Blanding's Turtle (a threatened species in Ontario) so Rouge Park conservation authorities work often in the area. On June 27, 2017, The City of Toronto held

3699-664: Is not open to the public nor readily identified in the park. Its National Historic Site designation was prompted by imminent development plans that could have encroached on the area. The original Rouge Park was established in 1995 by the Province of Ontario in partnership with cities of Toronto, Markham and Pickering and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority . The original park consisted of approximately 40 square kilometres (approximately 10,000 acres) of parkland in Toronto, Markham and Pickering. Parks Canada first committed to work towards

3836-409: Is now cut off from the lake by a waste water treatment plant. The northern part of the municipality is mainly rural , primarily used for agricultural purposes. However, a number of residential developments are found in this area, and the locally controversial Seaton area also falls within this part of the city. The primary rural communities in Pickering are Claremont , Brougham , and Whitevale ;

3973-497: Is planning to significantly expand the park's trail network from 12 kilometres by adding dozens of kilometres of new trails in effort to provide a contiguous connection from Lake Ontario to Oak Ridges Moraine. Plans are also underway to link park trails with regional trails outside the park located in the cities of Toronto, Markham and Pickering and in the Township of Uxbridge. In 2016, Parks Canada partnered with OCAD University to hire

4110-603: Is served by the Durham District School Board , the Durham Catholic District School Board , the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud . As of early 2007, the public board operates 17 elementary schools and two secondary schools, Dunbarton High School and Pine Ridge Secondary School ( Pickering High School was previously located in Pickering, but

4247-472: Is the most accurate and comprehensive digital data for the GTA. This ortho-photo is used by TRCA biologists and the City of Toronto Natural Heritage Study to identify and digitize natural habitats and then analyze that data in relation to surrounding land uses, habitat patch size and shape. GIS was also used as a tool to ecologically assess the master plan for the Rouge Park Trails. A sensitivity analysis

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4384-601: Is working with 10 different First Nations with historic and present-day connections to the park through the Rouge National Urban Park First Nations Advisory Circle. Parks Canada's Indigenous partners play a role in and make significant contributions to all aspects of park operations, including helping to restore and enhance park ecosystems and farmland, sharing traditional stories and cuisine at in-park programs and events, and participating in and helping to monitor archaeological work throughout

4521-542: The American Revolutionary War , when the Crown resettled Loyalists and encouraged new immigration. Many of the smaller rural communities have been preserved and function as provincially significant historic sites and museums. The city also includes the development of Durham Live , a multi-billion-dollar casino complex. The present-day Pickering was Aboriginal territory for thousands of years. The Wyandot (called

4658-581: The French and Indian War . They likely completed survey of the township about 1776. British colonial settlers were steadily migrating into the area from eastern areas of Canada. There is some controversy over the identity of the earliest European settler in the area. One of the candidates is Mike Duffin, who settled in what later became the Pickering Village (now in Ajax ), possibly in the 1770s. The other candidate

4795-606: The Rouge Urban National Park Act . Water from glaciers melting 12,000 years ago formed ancestral Lake Ontario, which covered this entire area. A large ice lobe, roughly 20 metres thick, blocked the lake from draining eastward, leaving water levels high as the lake slowly drained south to what is now the Mississippi River. The ice lobe finally retreated, draining the lake to the St Lawrence River and forming

4932-518: The Toronto Zoo to rear and release 113 baby Blanding's turtles in the park; a threatened species, prior to this initiative, it was believed that only seven turtles remained in the park. Beginning in 2015, Parks Canada began to partner with park farmers and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to complete conservation and agricultural enhancements projects in Rouge National Urban Park. Rouge Park consists of acres of protected land right in

5069-526: The United States (1.7%). The median total income of households in 2020 for Pickering was $ 118,000. As per the 2021 census, the most common ethnic or cultural origins in Pickering are English (14.0%), Irish (11.5%), Scottish (11.0%), Canadian (10.6%), Indian (9.6%), Italian (5.6%), German (5.0%), Jamaican (4.3%), Filipino (4.3%), Chinese (3.9%), British Isles (3.6%), Pakistani (3.5%), Sri Lankan (3.3%), and French (3.3%). Indigenous people made up 1.1% of

5206-439: The "French Canadian who could be accused of not giving an airport to Ontario after having given one to Quebec [Mirabel]". Together with Minister Marchand's desire to give Toronto what he had just given Montreal, there was the advice of chief consultant Philip Beinhaker, of Peat Marwick and Partners, who, while admitting a preference for expanding Malton, had pronounced the expansion "politically unsaleable", in part because Malton and

5343-458: The 14 lanes of highway 401 was a recent development that has contributed to Pickering's push for more density downtown. The project Durham Live in south Pickering received approval for construction in 2017. It will include a water park, film studio, five star hotel, performing arts theater and possibly a casino. The city council consists of a mayor, three regional councillors, and three city councillors. The mayor and regional councillors sit on

5480-483: The 1970s. That announcement was soon followed by confirmation that another 2,104 hectares (5,200 acres) of the Pickering Lands had been formally transferred to Rouge National Urban Park, leaving approximately 3,521 hectares (8,700 acres) for a potential future airport. KPMG's full report, "Pickering Lands Aviation Sector Analysis" was released by Transport Canada on March 5, 2020. The findings had been expected to form

5617-472: The 1980s, due to the quality of the historical buildings and untouched nature of the landscape. The television shows Hannibal (2013–2015) Suits (2011–2019), and American Gods (2017) have filmed extensively in Whitevale and in other locations in Pickering. Nautical Village is located at Frenchman's Bay and features entertainment, a playground, a boardwalk, restaurants, shops and an art gallery. The city

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5754-472: The 2012 and 2013 Ontario BioBlitz surveys. It is known to be one of the most diverse spots in Canada due to the large variety of species habituating in the park. Rouge National Urban Park is located in the Rouge River , Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds. The Rouge River remains the healthiest river that flows through the City of Toronto. The ravine system that surrounds the Rouge River forms

5891-436: The 21st century, but as of 2022, only 1,549 of the 20,989 planned units had been built. The city also considered the development of a new community called Veraine, to be built in northeastern Pickering. The city also saw a rise in the number of high-rise condos . The city covers an area of 231 square kilometres (89 sq mi) with an elevation of 89 metres (292 ft). Toronto, Markham , and Rouge Park border Pickering on

6028-468: The 62 million passengers the GTAA was then forecasting for Pearson by 2032. Pearson’s total passenger numbers climbed to 50.5 million in 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on global aviation, starting with the first lockdowns in the spring of 2020. By July 2020, Pearson’s passenger numbers had dropped to 1996 levels. Only 13.3 million passengers were processed through Pearson that year. In

6165-619: The Bay Shores dial-a-bus, which began in 1970–1973. In 2001 Pickering Transit merged with former Ajax Transit to form the Ajax-Pickering Transit Authority (APTA). In 2006, the regional transit system Durham Region Transit took over operations in the Durham Regional Municipality . The Pickering GO station offers public rail transit on an east–west axis. In 2012, Pickering's landmark bridge opened – connecting

6302-608: The Canadian Air Land Sea Museum, is the most at risk as it is right next door and under the approach to runway 10R at the new airport. In addition part of Markham airport, including half of its only runway, was originally expropriated for the Pickering airport. Questions on if the construction of the Pickering Airport next to an existing airport (Markham CNU8) would violate the Aeronautical Act have been raised by

6439-470: The Federal Lands, the first tract of land to become part of the Rouge National Urban Park. Parks Canada has been working closely with tenants on that land and has made it clear that agriculture will be one of the central pillars of the new Park. On July 11, 2015, the Prime Minister announced that the federal government is transferring an additional 2,100 hectares (5,200 acres) in Pickering and Uxbridge to

6576-464: The Government of Canada to protect the park, and its ecosystems, cultural artifacts, and native wildlife. The act also proposes wardens who will look after the park and patrol all year long. Wardens will be working closely with the local police to protect the visitors and the resources. The policy also focuses on restoring native ecosystems and wildlife landscape. Since 2014, Parks Canada has worked with

6713-545: The Great Lakes as we see them today. Outcrops of rock formed during the last glacial period found in Rouge National Urban Park are important to geologists studying seismic activity, in particular the risk of earthquakes in the GTA. Faults are visible indicating significant earthquake activity between 80,000 and 13,000 years ago. The human history of Rouge National Urban Park goes back over 10,000 years. Palaeolithic nomadic hunters, Iroquoian farmers, early European explorers, and

6850-449: The Guelph site ranked highest. In May 1971, in a Toronto-Centred Region plan, the provincial government announced its intention to direct new growth to the east of Toronto. This eastern emphasis became a cause of friction between the federal and provincial governments: the federal government preferred an airport location to the west, the province wanted an eastern site. In an attempt to resolve

6987-529: The House of Commons that Malton would not be expanded, and a study into a possible fourth runway was stopped. The interdiction did not last. Over the years, Toronto Pearson International has been expanded to five runways, with a sixth runway planned. Numerous studies were undertaken in the late 1960s to determine whether Canada's airports could deal with future air passenger volumes. At Malton, passenger numbers in 1970 totalled 6.4 million, but consultants' forecasts for

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7124-637: The Hub (the university's center for entrepreneurship) have worked in collaboration with Parks Canada to release the Rouge App, an application designed to provide park visitors with an interactive and informative guide in the palm of their hand. Information was collected from Parks Canada staff, indigenous communities, locals, scientists and historians for content. Features include: trail and landscape information, landmarks, cultural and historical information, GPS distance tracker, safety information on poisonous flora and fauna,

7261-617: The Huron by Europeans), who spoke an Iroquoian language , were the historical people living here in the 15th century. Archeological remains of a large village have been found here, known as the Draper Site . Later, the Wyandot moved northwest to Georgian Bay , where they established their historic homeland. There they encountered French explorers in the early 17th century, followed by missionaries and fur traders . The first recorded history of this area

7398-576: The Little Rouge River resulted in the killing of fish up to 4 kilometres downstream of the spill. Typically, in an urban area, much of the soil can be expected to be impermeable due to asphalt and concrete. During times of excessive rainfall, pollutants are picked up and rapidly run off. In 1970, a heavy thunderstorm hit Malvern and at the mouth of the Malvern outfalls, the Morningside Stream

7535-499: The Little Rouge River to 0.05 mg/L in the Main Rouge, south of Highway 7 (provincial guideline is 0.03 mg/L). 24 golf courses, which can be a significant source of pesticides and nutrients, are located in the watershed. Golf course turfs also require a significant amount of irrigation which can threaten stream health. However, the surrounding golf courses have undertaken proactive measures to fit environmental standards. In

7672-566: The Oak Ridges Moraine. In Toronto, the park is accessible by public transportation by TTC and GO Transit . The role of civil society within conservation efforts of a green space was enhanced through expertise and science which allowed legalizing the civil society claims to the public. The civil society came up with their own expertise to validate their ecologically based arguments that could also stand up to competing alternative positions. The ecological restoration or monitoring programs that

7809-536: The Pickering GO station to the city's downtown core. Durham Regional Roads serve the city, north and south. Highway 401 runs near the south end of Pickering and Highway 407 ETR runs through the mid-north of the city. Pickering Airport was a planned second major airport for the Greater Toronto Area. Lands were expropriated in north Pickering in 1972 but the plan was stopped. As of 2021 no firm plans for

7946-530: The Pickering Township was severed from the York County , and became a part of the newly established Ontario County . In the later decades of the 19th century, a fall in the demand for wheat led to economic decline in the primarily-agricultural township. The township lost over 40% of its population in the second half of the 19th century, and the decline continued in the first half of the 20th century. In

8083-420: The Rouge National Urban Park hosted a Bioblitz event, the first since being recognized as a National Park. Participants were found to have recorded 43 different mammalian species on the iNaturalist site Two of the tools that are being used to further the sustainability agenda are the use of GIS as a mapping tool for the park and spatial analysis techniques. The TRCA (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority) has

8220-403: The Rouge National Urban Park. Over half of the farmland, streams, and natural habitat expropriated in 1972–1973 will now be permanently protected. The Prime Minister also said that the federal government intends to use the remaining lands for economic development, adding: "But let there be no doubt. Our Government will only support projects on these lands, including an airport, if they are backed by

8357-635: The Rouge Watershed located in Scarborough, Ontario. They also contribute to the ecosystems within the watershed by creating habitat structures like raptor posts for owls and hawks to perch onto, which will regulate rodent populations. The Rouge National Urban Park Act, also called the Bill C-40, is a tailor-made approach for protecting the Rouge. It complements Ontario's Greenbelt Act and goes further by obligating

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8494-478: The Rouge watershed there are six abandoned landfills. These pose the risk of leachates leaking through the sides of the landfill. It is important to continuously monitor these sites and prevent contamination. A study summarizing spills in Rouge Park was conducted recently. Between 1988 and 2000, there were roughly 300 oil spills and 90 chemical spills. Most of these occurred on the road or from commercial plants, storage facilities and tanker trucks. A recent spill in

8631-571: The Township. On 1 January 1974, the Ontario County was dissolved, and the area became part of the Regional Municipality of Durham . The southeastern portion of the Pickering Township, including the Pickering Village and Pickering High School , became part of the independent town of Ajax . The rest of the township became the Town of Pickering, which in 2000, became the City of Pickering. In

8768-508: The York-Durham town line are other small communities in Pickering, with a population each of between 50 and 100 people. Most of these communities were founded in the 1700s and 1800s and have churches and historic estates that have been restored through government funding. Dixie is a small rural community situated in rural Pickering, with more contemporary buildings. The film industry has been very active in communities such as Whitevale , since

8905-550: The airport exist. Police services in Pickering are provided by the Durham Regional Police from a division office located in the eastern section of the city. Officers from this location also patrol Ajax. Pickering Fire Services operates from four stations with a force of all full-time firefighters. Claremont Fire Hall is now fully staffed by full-time firefighters 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ambulance/emergency medical services are provided by Durham Region. Pickering

9042-500: The airport idea and commissioned the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) to "undertake interim planning work that would enable the federal government to determine if it should proceed with a regional/reliever airport on the Pickering Lands". In 2002, the federal government announced a plan to preserve 3,051 hectares (7,540 acres) of the site, no longer needed for the airport, as green space in perpetuity, providing

9179-464: The airports opponents. The Markham Airport , has been around since 1965 and is currently looking to expand to a 6,000 ft runway and take-on the new role of private aviation airport after the closure of the Buttonville Airport . The land that Buttonville Airport sits on has been sold for development to Cadillac Fairview and the airport closed on November 24, 2023. The city of Oshawa has passed

9316-539: The analysis required to make a decision on the need for an airport." The consulting firm of KPMG had already been commissioned by Transport Canada (in May 2016) to review aviation demand and capacity within the southern Ontario airport system over the next 20 years At the same time, Transport Canada announced that it would begin offering 10-year agricultural leases on the Lands in place of the 1-year leases that had been available since

9453-438: The basis for a decision on the type and timing of a potential future airport. However, a Transport Canada factsheet for the Pickering Lands emphasises that "The report was not intended to provide a recommendation on whether to build an airport on the Pickering Lands. The Aviation Sector Analysis is one of many inputs into the development of policy options on the future of the Pickering Lands." KPMG’s analysis found no requirement for

9590-508: The civil society was involved in was a stride towards a booming long-term movement. A number of projects and initiatives are underway as part of the Rouge National Urban Park establishment process. The Beare Road Park Master Plan was proposed in 2013. It advocates for the closed Beare Road Landfill area to be turned into a park called Beare Hill Park that is integrated into the Rouge National Urban Park. The Beare Road Landfill closed in 1983 and has since been partly reforested and converted into

9727-424: The council and also represent the city at Durham Regional Council. The city councillors sit on city council only. Pickering is divided into three wards of roughly equal population, with one city councillor and one regional councillor elected to represent each ward, in what are known as single-member districts . The current mayor, Kevin Ashe, has held the mayoralty since 2022. Transit service began in Pickering with

9864-456: The created wetlands in regard to the potential they have for producing methyl mercury (MeHg). After the water, sediment and the invertebrates from the wetlands were sampled, it was determined that the MeHg concentrations decrease with an increase in the wetland age with the net production of MeHg being especially high in newly created wetlands. The proof of understanding behind these results has come from

10001-495: The creation of Rouge National Urban Park in 2011, following a review of the former regional Rouge Park's governance, organization and finance, which recommended the creation of a national urban park. In laying the groundwork for the park's establishment, Parks Canada has consulted and collaborated with over 20,000 Canadians and 200 organizations, including Indigenous People, all levels of government, community groups, conservationists, farmers and residents. The most well-known part of

10138-484: The district was renamed Home District, and Pickering was established as a township . The township was originally called "Edinburgh" but in 1792 was renamed after Pickering, North Yorkshire . Pickering Village, now part of Ajax, emerged as the major population and commercial centre of the Pickering Township in the early 19th century. The conversion of a local trail into the Kingston Road in 1799 contributed greatly to

10275-565: The east, in Pickering Township. A third airport – a large 6,000–8,000 hectare (15,000–20,000 acre) international airport – would be built later, at an undetermined location. In December 1971, the province told the federal government that it could not afford to service both a Beverly and a Pickering site and that it had committed funds to build sewer and water facilities only to the east of Toronto. The federal government abandoned its plan for three new airports and decided instead to build one large international airport east of Toronto. On March 2, 1972,

10412-589: The fact that in younger wetlands the iron-reducing bacteria maybe adding a methane group to the inorganic mercury causing increase in production of MeHg. On the other hand, the organic matter that gets accumulated in the aged wetlands has the ability to bind inorganic mercury so that bacterial methylation is not able to take place. People have been farming in the Rouge Valley for thousands of years, including Indigenous People and, later, European settlers. Rouge National Urban Park protects large tracts of Class 1 farmland,

10549-455: The federal Minister of Transport announced the construction of a "major airport" in Pickering, while the Treasurer of the Province of Ontario simultaneously announced plans for a new satellite city, called Cedarwood, to be built immediately south of the airport. The federal government expropriated about 7,530 hectares (18,600 acres) of farmland for the airport, as well as the village of Brougham and

10686-534: The federal finance minister announced revised plans for the Pickering airport lands, stating that the Government of Canada would set aside an area in the southeast, of about 3,500 hectares (8,700 acres), for a future airport that would be needed in the 2027–2037 time-frame. About 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) in York Region would be transferred to Parks Canada, to become part of the new Rouge National Urban Park. The remaining land, approximately 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres),

10823-524: The federal government "retain and protect the site, thereby preserving the option of building an airport, if and when required". In 2010, the GTAA completed a Pickering Airport " Needs Assessment Study " commissioned by the federal government. The study's report recommended that the federal government retain the Pickering lands, "thereby preserving the option of building an airport, if and when required". The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, an association of private plane owners and pilots, took exception to

10960-528: The first half of the 20th century, two new communities emerged in the Pickering Township: the cottage community of Pickering Beach and the self-contained community around the federal government-owned Defence Industries Limited Pickering Works munitions plant. Both areas are now part of Ajax. After the World War II , urbanization began in the southern part of Pickering, and later spread to other parts of

11097-549: The first lands that would make up Rouge National Urban Park to Parks Canada - 19.1 km in the north end of the park in the City of Markham. On May 15, 2015, the Rouge National Urban Park Act came into force, formally establishing Rouge National Urban Park. The park became the largest urban protected area in North America , stretching from Lake Ontario in the south to the post-glacial Oak Ridges Moraine in

11234-463: The first nine months of 2023, passenger activity recovered to 87.6 per cent relative to the same period in 2019. There has been significant community opposition to a Pickering airport, originally led by People or Planes, then by V.O.C.A.L. (Voters Organized to Cancel the Airport Lands), and since 2005, by Land Over Landings . Transport Canada’s Southern Ontario Area Airports Study (1995) acknowledged

11371-449: The future of the Pickering Lands." The Minister also announced that the government had no intention of proceeding with the building of an airport on the Pickering Lands in the near term, and that the study’s conclusions could even indicate that no airport is needed in the long term. On April 24, 2023, Pickering Council voted 6–1 to withdraw its previous support for an airport on the lands and to spend no more tax dollars or staff resources on

11508-478: The hamlet of Altona and the village of Brougham are situated entirely within the expropriated area. The closest large communities are Claremont (an exurban village of around 2,800 residents, located northeast of the airport lands in Pickering), and to the west, in York Region, the town of Stouffville and the city of Markham. A significant 15th century Huron ancestral village on the airport site (the Draper Site )

11645-441: The hamlet of Altona. Expropriation went ahead despite widespread public opposition and the Province's ongoing concerns. In September 1975, airport construction was halted when the Government of Ontario withdrew its agreement to provide the necessary infrastructure for the site. A similar major land expropriation had taken place in 1969, north of Montreal, for Montréal–Mirabel International Airport . Phase I of Mirabel opened in 1975,

11782-400: The identified 79.1 km under the management of Parks Canada. The park is open with free admission to visitors 365 days per year, though there are camping fees. There are currently over 12 kilometres of rustic hiking trails in the Toronto and Markham areas of the park, though Parks Canada has plans to significantly expand the trail network and provide a contiguous link from Lake Ontario to

11919-473: The impasse, the federal government proposed a plan to build three new airports instead of one. Two small 2,000–4,000 hectare (5,000–10,000 acre) airports would be built to handle short-haul traffic, on sites previously eliminated as unsuitable for a large airport. The first of these small airports would be constructed in the west, in Beverly Township , near Hamilton , followed immediately by the second one in

12056-456: The implementation of Seaton and downtown intensification, the Province of Ontario's planning anticipates the creation of 40,000 new jobs for Pickering over the next two decades. Pickering has planned a downtown intensification program, which includes new condominium developments around the Pickering GO station and Pickering Town Centre. Pickering Town Centre is a two-story mall located in Pickering. An enclosed pedestrian bridge constructed over

12193-500: The increased settlement in the area. In 1807, Quakers led by Timothy Rogers settled in the area, and by 1809, the population of Pickering Township consisted of 180 people, most of whom lived along the Duffins Creek . In 1811, the Pickering Township became a separate municipality. Several sawmills , gristmills , taverns, and other businesses operated in the area. During the War of 1812 ,

12330-652: The lands, with the NDP, Liberal and Green candidates expressing opposition. The future of the Pickering Airport Lands became an election issue in the 2018 Durham Region municipal elections when it was debated whether building a new airport in the Pickering-Ajax area could be a worthwhile economic driver for the region. Most Mayoral candidates, with the exception of the incumbent, Ryan, were opposed to its building or were undecided, The airport, as proposed in June 2013, would be located in

12467-426: The last quarter of the 20th century, much of the government-owned land in northern Pickering sat idle because of uncertainty over the proposed Pickering Airport . That included the land expropriated by the federal government for the airport and the adjacent land expropriated by the provincial government for the proposed Seaton community that would benefit from the airport. The development of Seaton picked up pace in

12604-404: The local residents. The 1974 Gibson inquiry did review the process and found "No new evidence to suggest that Pickering site was not appropriate" (pp. 29–32, Airport Inquiry Commission, Justice Hugh Gibson). Local residents and several newspapers disagreed. It was claimed that In June 1971, a federal Department of Transport team, having visited the Pickering site with a consultant, reported that

12741-473: The long history of agricultural activity on the Pickering lands and noted that the "fertile soils have led to the majority of the land being classified as Class 1 or 2 in the Canada Land Inventory soil capability classification for agriculture". The draft plan went into limbo when Transport Canada announced on May 9, 2007, that the GTAA had now been commissioned to complete "a needs assessment study for

12878-526: The maintenance of the Kingston Road improved because of the increased military traffic and further contributed to the development of the area. In the 19th century, several other small communities developed in the Duffins Creek watershed , within the Pickering Township. These included Whitevale , Brougham , Green River , Claremont , Altona , Greenwood , and Balsam. A few communities also developed in

13015-471: The methodology and conclusions of the study, arguing that "the process to implement a new airport at Pickering should be well underway right now". Transport Action Ontario, in its own response to the study report, questioned some of the study's claims and suggested that, in lieu of building a new airport, "higher-speed, electrified rail" would be a "far superior alternative" for much of the short-haul traffic currently handled by Pearson Airport. On June 11, 2013,

13152-408: The middle of a metropolitan area. It is home to various unique wildlife species that are otherwise at risk. The location of the park makes it vulnerable to many different sources of pollution. For example, one of Toronto's major highways cuts through the park. To provide a safe and recreational environment for visitors and maintain biodiversity, it is important to identify these sources and better manage

13289-494: The multicultural suburban population that one can see around the park today are all part of this history. Since humans began living in the area of the present Great Lakes-St Lawrence Lowlands in Ontario, many groups of people made the lands and waters now protected in Rouge Park their home. The river and its valleys, uplands, forests and wetlands, along with the animal and plant species that lived here, sustained small nomadic groups, and later on larger, permanent settlements long before

13426-457: The north-central part of Pickering, directly northeast of Toronto and about 65 km (40 mi) east of Toronto Pearson International Airport. The airport landing approach surfaces, as currently zoned, would have aircraft flying a centre line just north of Markham , and just south of Stouffville onto runways 10L and 10R, west of Uxbridge, over part of Ajax onto runway 32, and over part of north Whitby onto runway 28R and 28L. The remnants of

13563-401: The north. In October 2017, Ontario handed 22.8 km of land to Parks Canada, consisting of 6.5 km owned by the province, 15.2 km managed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and 1.1 km managed by the City of Markham. Farmers already cultivating land within the subsumed park were granted leases up to thirty years by the federal government. This transfer brought 80 percent of

13700-513: The official languages, 98.6% of the population reported knowing English and 7.3% French. Pickering is home to the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station , an eight-reactor facility with a capacity of 4,120 megawatts. The first station, Pickering A, opened with four reactors in 1971. Ontario Power Generation , the plants' operator, is the largest single employer in the city. In 2001, the wind-powered OPG 7 Commemorative Turbine

13837-546: The original Rouge Park, near the Toronto Zoo and Rouge Beach areas, remain open and are managed on an interim basis by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority in partnership with Parks Canada and municipalities. As Rouge National Urban Park becomes fully operational, former Rouge Park lands will transfer to Parks Canada and become part of the much larger (79.1 km ) Rouge National Urban Park. Most remaining 'Rouge Park' lands were expected to transfer to Parks Canada in 2017. On 1 April 2015, Transport Canada transferred

13974-423: The park is situated around the mouth of the river in Toronto , and extends northwards into Markham , Pickering , Uxbridge , and Whitchurch-Stouffville . Since 2011, Parks Canada has been working to nationalize and nearly double the size of the original Rouge Park. Parks Canada is planning to add more trails, education and orientation centres and improved signage and interpretive panels and displays throughout

14111-478: The park's farmland and working farms in a way that contributes to the overall health of the park while also providing unique visitor farm experiences. The park is home to two well known farmers markets in Markham, Whittamore's Farm (closed 2017) and Reesor's Farm Market. Friends of the Rouge Watershed is a non-profit, community-based environmental protection and conservation organization that aims to protect and restore

14248-505: The park's first “Photographer-in-Residence” Heike Reuse . Heike's work was featured in the Toronto Star , CBC and Metro , and she also staged an exhibition in downtown Toronto. Parkbus offers a seasonal shuttle service to the park. Beginning in 2016, students from the University of Toronto Scarborough (The Arts & Science Co-op and Masters of Environmental Science Departments) and

14385-560: The park. In 2016, Parks Canada offered over 300 free public events in the park, including Frog Watch, Hoot and Howl, weekly guided walks, Art in the Park, the Fall Walk Festival, BioBlitz, Learn-to-Camp, Taste of the Trail and more. Several education and orientation centres, facilities, signage and interpretive panels are being planned in the Toronto and Markham areas of the park. Parks Canada

14522-486: The park. Parks Canada introduced new educational programs to the park, including Learn-to-Camp, Learn-to-Hike, fire side chats, and other complimentary programming. Once fully established, the park will span 79.1 square kilometres (30.5 sq mi) or approximately 19,500 acres. Parks Canada managed 95% of the area as of June 15, 2019, with the rest expected to be transferred in the future, of which 46 square kilometres (18 sq mi) had been formally designated under

14659-473: The population reported no religious affiliation. Others identified as Muslim (12.6%), Hindu (8.3%), Sikh (0.8%), Buddhist (0.5%), and with other religions. The 2021 census found English to be the mother tongue of 69.2% of the population. This was followed by Urdu (3.1%), Tamil (3.0%), Tagalog (1.8%), Arabic (1.2%), Spanish (1.1%), French (1.1%), Italian (1.0%), Gujarati (1.0%), Dari (0.9%), Mandarin (0.8%), and Cantonese (0.8%). Of

14796-521: The population was under 15 years of age, and 16.6% was 65 years and over. The median age in Pickering was 40.8 years. Immigrants made up 36.3% of the population in 2021. The top places of birth of the immigrant population were India (11.2%), Sri Lanka (8.2%), Pakistan (7.9%), Philippines (7.5%), Jamaica (7.2%), the United Kingdom (7.0%), Guyana (6.6%), Trinidad and Tobago (3.7%), China (2.7%), Bangladesh (2.5%), Afghanistan (2.4%), and

14933-557: The population, mostly First Nations (0.5%) and Métis (0.5%). Ethnocultural backgrounds in the town included European (47.0%), South Asian (21.2%), Black (11.4%), Filipino (4.1%), Chinese (3.0%), West Asian (2.1%), Arab (1.7%), and Latin American (1.5%). In 2021, 53.7% of the population identified as Christian , with Catholics (25.7%) making up the largest denomination, followed by Anglican (3.9%), Orthodox (3.8%), United Church (3.0%), and other denominations. 23.2% of

15070-518: The proposal. As part of the same motion, Council voted unanimously to renew the city's support for a station near Green River in north Pickering for the federal government's proposed high-frequency rail line along the Quebec City–Windsor corridor . The agricultural land on the remaining Pickering Lands continues to be farmed by tenants. The selection process of the site for the new airport was controversial as all candidate locations were opposed by

15207-487: The rapid urbanization of the 20th century altered the landscape dramatically. Inspired by the scenery of the Rouge, F.H. Varley , one of the renowned Group of Seven painters, captured the banks of the Rouge River in Markham on canvas during the 1950s as a lasting memory of their beauty. This was an original portage route along the Rouge River to the Holland River , linking Lake Ontario to Lake Simcoe . This route

15344-456: The rarest and most fertile soil in Canada. Since 2015, Parks Canada has partnered with park farmers, Indigenous partners, and conservation groups to complete 31 conservation and agricultural enhancements projects in Rouge National Urban Park. To date, more than 32 hectares of wetland and riparian habitat and 20 hectares of forest have been restored, and over 38,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted. Parks Canada has committed to preserving

15481-425: The risks. Different types of pollution sources found in the park are listed below and the risks associated with them. Sources of urban pollution found in Rouge Park include: Many decades of urban development have led to increased erosion and channel instability. Erosion can cause sediment loading in streams and impact aquatic life. Eroded sediments can carry nutrients and other substances that can naturally build up in

15618-457: The roads or sewers needed to service the site. Despite later attempts by the federal government to revive the project, construction activities never resumed, and no operator was selected. There has been local opposition to an airport from the day of the original announcement. Since the shelving of the project in 1975, the federal government has commissioned a number of studies to assess future aviation needs in southern Ontario. The most recent study

15755-529: The same year that construction on the Pickering project was stopped. The federal government retained its ownership of the lands expropriated for the Pickering airport, reserving the option to revive the project at some point in the future. After the airport construction was stopped, the federal government began to lease the site's farmland and houses to tenants, some of them former owners of the properties. This practice continued, and there were no significant developments until 2001, when Transport Canada resurrected

15892-564: The site by Metropolitan Toronto". Well into the 1970s, the Department of Transport remained adamant that Malton could not be expanded, citing noise and safety concerns. However, there were also political reasons behind the federal government's wish to build a second airport. Representatives of the local anti-airport protest group, People or Planes, meeting in Ottawa in 1972 with Transport Minister Jean Marchand, were told by him that he did not want to be

16029-530: The site, including a future airport, and would report back to the government within 12 months. Meanwhile, Transport Canada would assess future aviation needs across the Greater Golden Horseshoe to determine if there was a business case for a future airport. On July 18, 2015, Transport Canada released a draft of revised Pickering Airport Site Zoning Regulations for the retained lands, to ensure that development on surrounding lands remained compatible with

16166-530: The smaller Carruthers Creek watershed, including Audley (now part of Ajax), Kinsale, and Salem. In 1849, the village of Dunbarton was established along the Dunbarton Creek. The Grand Trunk Railway reached the Township in 1856. Pickering was represented in the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837. One of its leaders, Peter Matthews , had been one of the most prominent members of the community. In 1851,

16303-420: The soil, typical land development practices of an urban area have led to large concession blocks of soils being exposed at a given time. Much of the wetland in the park was drained and cleared to make room for agriculture. Farms are significant contributors to contaminants such as nutrients, bacteria and pesticides entering a river. In the park, the median concentrations of phosphorus range from 0.02 mg/L in

16440-720: The south and west of Lakes Ontario and Erie in present-day New York that extended into Pennsylvania and the Ohio Valley, where they maintained hunting grounds. (The Seneca were located farther west, near Seneca Lake , among the Finger Lakes . Fenelon wintered at the village and started missionary work with this people. ) The British took over Canada in 1763 following defeat of the French in the Seven Years' War , known in Colonial America as

16577-609: The surrounding watersheds, as well as the average ecosystem service value per hectare by land cover type. The data was from the 2000-2002 Southern Ontario Land Resource Information System (SOLRIS). This urban park features numerous fauna such as white-tailed deer , mice, opossums , raccoons , hawks , coyotes , skunks , ducks , beaver , bald eagles , bears , shrews , red foxes , turkeys , weasels , golden eagles , river otters , kestrels , moles , swans , minks , bats , woodchucks , and porcupines . The park has over 1,700 species of plants, animals and fungi, as verified in

16714-479: The tremendous growth in air passenger traffic anticipated in the coming decades. Strong local-community opposition to Malton's expansion caused the government to decide instead, in December 1968, to build a second Toronto airport. An Airport Planning Team spent 1969 evaluating nearly 60 sites within a 50-nautical-mile radius of Malton. The final contenders were Lake Scugog , Lake Simcoe , Orangeville , and Guelph , with

16851-570: The turn of the century ranged from 25 million to 198 million. The federal government's plans for Malton and Pickering were ultimately based on an anticipated 60 million to 96 million passengers through Toronto by 2000. In 2000, Toronto Pearson International processed about 28 million passengers. By 2003, owing to international crises, that number had dropped to just over 24 million but climbed again to 32.3 million passengers in 2008, with an average of 1,179 "aircraft movements" per day. By 2014, passenger numbers had climbed to nearly 39 million, about 62% of

16988-537: The war, the few suburban areas in the township were the communities of Dunbarton, Fairport Beach, Liverpool Market, and Rouge Hill. Squires Beach, located by the lake shore in the southeast part of the city, is now a ghost town as the area was cleared from 1966 to make way for the construction of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station . The only home standing in Squires Beach was built by Timothy Rogers in 1842 and relocated to Montgomery Park Road. Squires Beach Road

17125-421: The west; Ajax and Whitby border Pickering on the east; Uxbridge is to the north; and Lake Ontario forms Pickering's southern boundary. The southern part of the city is mainly suburban , with industrial areas restricted to the area around Pickering Nuclear Generating Station . Most of the suburban areas were built as subdivisions after World War II , starting in the area around Frenchman's Bay. Prior to

17262-690: The “long history of strong local opposition to an airport, which had not appeared to decrease over time. There is strong support for Pickering Airport from COPA flight 44 Canadian Owners and Pilots Association also known as the Buttonville Flying Club. Both the Friends of Pickering Airport and an older 2011 privately funded proposal to build a not for profit Airpark in Pickering originated from this General Aviation community. This community of pilots supports keeping all nearby airports open including Buttonville, Oshawa and Markham. The Markham Airport, home to

17399-471: Was announced in April 2023. The potential future airport site currently measures approximately 3,521 hectares (8,700 acres). The site continues to be leased to private tenants for residential, commercial, and agricultural use. In the late 1960s, the federal government (which then owned and operated all major Canadian airports) studied expanding Malton Airport (now Toronto Pearson International Airport) to accommodate

17536-426: Was choked with pollutants such as oil, rubber, plastics and heavy metals from driveways, roads and parking lots. Further downstream, a breeding area for salmon and trout was negatively affected due to harm from flash floods and pollution. During the storm, runoff can pick up road salt which can cause contamination of groundwater and leaching out of trace metals. A multi-lane highway and major railway line cuts through

17673-550: Was completely excavated in 1975 and 1978 in anticipation of the airport's construction. Pickering, Ontario [REDACTED] / [REDACTED]   Highway 407 Pickering ( 2021 population 99,186 ) is a city located in Southern Ontario , Canada, immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region . Beginning in the 1770s, the area was settled by primarily British colonists. An increase in population occurred after

17810-509: Was created by Indigenous Peoples, and later used by early European traders, explorers and settlers. The Rouge River route is not currently marked by a federal historical marker, but the western branch of the route, following the Humber River , has one acknowledging both forks of the route. The Toronto Carrying-Place Trail was designated a National Historic Event on the advice of the national Historic Sites and Monuments Board in 1969. Bead Hill

17947-463: Was done for the park, which involved plotting the location of rare plant and animal species, identifying wetlands and other sensitive habitats, and important nesting and breeding areas for wildlife. The mapping process involved the use of geo-referenced ecological data from sources like MNR, TRCA and Rouge Park to be mapped onto digital aerial photos of Rouge Park so that specific locations of sensitive species and habitats could be determined. The data that

18084-407: Was earmarked for economic development. The Harper government 's announcement also reaffirmed the federal government’s intention to hold land on the site for a future airport, stating that the needs assessment study's conclusion was that the airport would be needed within the 2027–2037 time-frame. On April 1, 2015, Transport Canada transferred to Parks Canada a total of 1,911 hectares (4,722 acres) of

18221-739: Was made in 1669, when the French Jesuit missionary François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon noted reaching what he called the Seneca (more likely the Onondaga ) village of Gandatsetiagon , on the shores of Frenchman's Bay (for whom it would be named). The Onondaga (and the Seneca) were among the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy . The Onondaga (and other Iroquois) generally occupied territory to

18358-475: Was mapped includes flora and fauna occurrences, provincially and locally significant wetlands, vegetation communities, Environmentally significant areas (ESAs) and interior forest habitat. The David Suzuki Foundation has also used GIS and spatial analysis to map the value of natural capital in the Rouge National Park. The foundation mapped the distribution of land cover and land use in the Rouge Park and

18495-438: Was not the case. The Pickering site was chosen because it was the only site left in the provincially preferred area east of Toronto, after Lake Scugog had been disqualified for being too far out, too costly to develop, too important a recreational area to disrupt, and too prone to poor weather. The Lake Scugog site had also been described as "unfavourable, as the majority of users, as well as Malton airport itself, are separated from

18632-556: Was opened on the generating station site. The nuclear power plant is expected to start decommissioning in 2024. A number of manufacturers are also located in the city. Major employers include Yorkville Sound (audio equipment), the Canadian headquarters of Purdue Pharma (pharmaceuticals and health & beauty products), Hubbell Canada (electrical equipment), PSB Speakers – Lenbrook (stereo equipment) and Eco-Tec Inc. (industrial water purification and chemical recovery systems). Pickering

18769-446: Was transferred to Ajax when the city boundaries were changed). The Catholic board runs eight elementary schools and one secondary school, Saint Mary Catholic Secondary School . The French public school board operates École Ronald-Marion, which serves both elementary and secondary students. Blaisdale Montessori School, a private school chain, has several locations throughout Pickering serving children from preschool age to grade 8. There

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