Whitby Meadows

Burnside was retained by Fieldgate Homes to conduct an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the Whitby Meadows residential subdivision in the Town of Whitby. The proposed development plan was comprised of low and medium-density residential developments, open space and mixed-use blocks, as well as internal public roads.

Our Land Development Ecology team completed a comprehensive assessment of natural heritage constraints, including Ecological Land Classification, breeding bird surveys, Significant Wildlife Habitat (including an inventory and inspection of existing structures for Barn Swallow, Chimney Swift and bat habitat), and an aquatic habitat assessment. As part of our ecological studies, the site was assessed for the presence of Species at Risk (i.e., Butternut, Bats, Barn Swallow, Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink).

Our EIS report summarized the relevant findings of the ecological investigations, examined the specific impacts of the proposed draft plan to the Natural Heritage System features and species, and recommended mitigation measures to eliminate and/or reduce those impacts.

Candidate habitat for Species at Risk bats were identified and a compensation habitat (rocket bat boxes) was installed in the Natural Heritage System to offset structure removals. An occupied Redside Dace habitat was present within the adjacent Lynde Creek corridor, and our ecologists worked successfully with Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority and Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks to ensure the development remained outside the existing environmental constraints, including Redside Dace.