The province released its draft transportation plan for Northern Ontario on December 10.

The document contains more than 60 actions to expand highways and transit services, create Northern economic opportunities, provide reliable travel options for remote and First Nation communities. 

"Northern Ontario has unique transportation needs and this draft plan will make real improvements to transportation in the region," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "Our plan will help create a well-connected transportation network for the North to make it easier for people to get to critical services like healthcare, while supporting more well-paid jobs through investments in infrastructure."

The plan includes improvements to rest areas, expanding bus service and moving forward with highway widening projects on key corridors in the region, such as Highway 11/17. It also includes actions to make further progress on passenger rail service in the North.

The document is organized under six goals. The first, getting people moving and connecting communities, includes actions such as highway planning and widening, repairing roads and bridges, and improving bus and train services. The government will also continue to invest in the rehabilitation and maintenance of the 11,000 km of highway network and bridges to ensure safe and reliable travel across Northern Ontario.

Specific actions under this goal include:

• advancing the widening of Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon from two lanes to four,
• advancing the design work for the widening of Highway 69 from two to four lanes, and
• moving forward with the widening of Highway 17 from Kenora to the Manitoba border.

The plan also calls for completion of the environmental assessment and preliminary design for the Cochrane by-pass from Highway 11 to Highway 652 by Fall 2023. The bypass could divert approximately 960 vehicles and 195 trucks per day away from municipal roads. It also calls for the planning, preliminary design and environmental assessment for the Little Current Swing Bridge on Highway 6 by Fall 2021. The bridge is the only land connection to Manitoulin Island.

"Our government is proud to deliver a tailored transportation plan that recognizes the unique needs of our vast region to support Northern families, Indigenous communities and businesses," said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. "This is part of our government's plan to promote economic recovery across the North and build a modern, connected transportation network that brings opportunities to the hardworking people of Northern Ontario." 

Under the heading of enabling economic opportunity, the plan calls for advancing eight highway rehabilitation projects, at an estimated investment of over $10 million. This work includes rout and sealing and hard rock blasting along highways throughout Northern Ontario, bridge preservation work on the CN subway bridge south near Thunder Bay, surface treatments and resurfacing along Highway 17 and along highways in the New Liskeard and Sudbury areas, and hazard rock scaling along Highway 17 east of Nipigon.

The goal also calls for increasing contracting opportunities for businesses owned by First Nation, Métis and Inuit people by increasing access to Ontario’s procurement process.

Other goals outlined under the plan include:

• keeping people safe and providing reliable transportation options, which includes investing in new, improved and rehabilitated rest areas,
• preparing for the future by integrating new and emerging technologies into the transportation system, such as connected and automated vehicles, alternative fueling options and planning transportation systems for the future,
• maintaining a sustainable transportation system, and
• reliable travel options for remote and Far North communities.

"Our transportation plan for Northern Ontario will make life easier for individuals, families and businesses in communities across the North," said Sault Ste. Marie MPP Ross Romano. "This plan will help create a reliable and modern transportation network to connect people to jobs, services and tourism destinations in Northern Ontario."