Province commits to Highway 7 funding
The provincial government has finally committed funding to a project to widen Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph.
Officials from the provincial government—Kitchener‐Conestoga MPP Mike Harris, Kitchener South‐Hespeler MPP Amy Fee and Cambridge MPP Belinda Karahalios—announced that the province has allocated funding for the project. The work will see the road expanded to an 18-kilometre, four-lane freeway with seven interchanges including a multi‐level interchange where the new Highway 7 meets and Highway 85. It will also include a new crossing over the Grand River.
“The new Highway 7 will connect a fast-growing urban centre of Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph, and provide relief to the heavily travelled 401,” said Harris. “We heard loud and clear that a new Highway 7 has long been a top priority for local residents, therefore today’s commitment is a clear signal that we are moving forward on this essential project.”
It’s not yet known when shovels will hit the ground, and the province is keeping quiet on its anticipated project budget, but the news comes as welcome relief to the region.
“This long-awaited infrastructure will bring enhanced connectivity for employment and commerce in our region, and make this vital roadway safer for people travelling between Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo,” said Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie.
The province has been studying the idea of widening and rerouting the highway since the 1990s, but has been slow to act definitively. It wasn’t until 2007 before the province committed to going ahead with the work. Preliminary and preparatory work began in 2015, but the province shelved the construction plans in 2018.
The latest announcement is the clearest signal yet that the roadworks will go ahead
Preliminary work such as field investigations will need to be completed before the province tenders the contract—which is expected to be next year. The project timeline won’t be announced until procurement is completed.
"I can't believe how pleased I am this government is actually going to follow through and build this highway," said Wellington County Warden Kelly Linton. "The County of Wellington is pleased that the Ford government is making good on its commitment to take infrastructure renewal across this province seriously. The moving from talk to action is the hallmark of good government, and we're pleased we're getting closer to action."
The project will make "travelling safer, easier and support employment and commerce objectives," said Guelph Councillor James Gordon. "The expansion of Highway 7 will bring us closer to our neighbours in Ontario's innovation corridor and will better connect our two communities. May people live in Guelph and work in Kitchener-Waterloo and vice-versa."
The expansion is part of the $2.6 billion in spending for highways and bridges in 2020–21 that Premier Doug Ford announced earlier this month. Of that total, $760 million has been set aside for expansion projects.