Photo: Empty land after the trees and vegetation were removed
Last week, Hydro One cut down all the vegetation at their power station site on Maple Grove Road in the Fairwinds community, including sever`al mature trees.
There was no notification to residents, and no notification to my office. We contacted Hydro One, who say that the work was to protect critical infrastructure, and there’s no tree permit required. I’ve included their response below.
I understand the need to do maintenance and protect equipment, but why did they have to clear everything? And why wasn’t there advance notification to my office and to neighbours?
We’re continuing to push Hydro One for answers, and for some mitigation to offset the loss of trees, which provided shade and privacy for residents, as well as habitat for wildlife.
Location of the Hydro One site on Maple Grove Road. Nearly all of the trees visible on this overhead image have been removed.
Response from Hydro One on June 19
Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent vegetation work near the hydro substation in the Maple Grove Road and Santolina Street area. We appreciate you sharing the concerns raised by residents.
The work in question was carried out on Hydro One–owned property as part of planned vegetation maintenance around the station. This work is required to maintain safe and reliable operation of the facility, ensure clear access to infrastructure, and address vegetation that was encroaching on the station and its perimeter fencing.
In this instance, vegetation was cleared along the full perimeter of the site, including the removal of dead or declining trees and additional growth that was interfering with the station or posed a potential risk to the equipment. While we understand this has resulted in a noticeable change to the surrounding vegetation, the work was necessary to meet our safety, maintenance, and operational requirements.
With respect to notification, this type of routine maintenance work is conducted on Hydro One property and does not typically involve advance notice to adjacent residents. That said, our crews did engage with a number of residents onsite during the work and responded to questions where possible.
We recognize the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with the surrounding community and understand that the removal of vegetation, particularly where it has provided screening, can be concerning. The work is not yet fully complete, and follow-up activities are planned, including site clean-up and restoration measures such as reseeding, which will help improve the overall condition of the area.
We are happy to continue working with your office to address any outstanding questions or concerns from residents. Please reach out if you require any additional information.