A baby snapping turtle is seen crossing a roadway in this file photo. (Photo: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)<\/p>\n
Turtles, salamanders and other wetland wildlife at risk from crossing a busy Brampton street will get additional protections through a $1.6 million funding boost.<\/p>\n
Back in 2024, Brampton City Council approved plans to support a city-wide road ecology program with a focus on Heart Lake Road, which is in a \u201cprovincially significant wetland\u201d and home to\u00a0numerous frogs, turtles, snakes and avian species.<\/p>\n
Some of the animals include at-risk species, like the Jefferson Salamander and the endangered five-lined skink (Ontario\u2019s only native lizard), and new funding from Ontario\u2019s Wetlands Conservation Partnership Program will aim at better protections for the impacted critters.<\/p>\n
The $1.65 million in funding will support stormwater infrastructure improvements, wetland restoration works and road ecology enhancements
along the Heart Lake Road corridor, with $1.19 million coming from the WCPP and $460,000 from the city.<\/p>\n
Another $231,000 will come from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, which will act as the construction manager for the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cCity staff, in collaboration with the TRCA, are currently advancing detailed design and permitting, with construction anticipated to commence in June 2026,\u201d a report to Brampton City Council reads.<\/p>\n
Many native wildlife species need to move between habitats (such as forests and wetlands) throughout the year to breed, forage, or hibernate. But roads and railways not only reduce habitat size but also act as barriers, making it difficult for wildlife to travel between natural greenspaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis habitat fragmentation limits their access to essential resources and can isolate populations,\u201d the TCRA says.<\/p>\n
There are an estimated 1.2 million wildlife-vehicle collisions within TRCA\u2019s jurisdiction between May and September every year, with nearly 90 per cent involving amphibians and reptiles, which are especially vulnerable due to their slow movement.<\/p>\n
Salamanders travel at an average speed of just 35 cm per minute, \u201cmaking it nearly impossible for them to avoid fast-moving traffic,\u201d the TCRA says.<\/p>\n
The TRCA recommends fencing to prevent wildlife from entering roadways, wildlife tunnels for safe passage, creating breeding or nesting habitats in safer areas, and seasonal road closures to protect vulnerable species.<\/p>\n
The TRCA conducts field surveys to track wildlife movement and identify high-risk road crossings in priority areas, including near Heart Lake Road in Brampton, Stouffville Road in Richmond Hill, Happy Valley in King Township, and High Park in Toronto.<\/p>\n