SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — The Governments of Canada and Ontario are planning to build an international truck route in Sault Ste. Marie.

Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, Carmen Provenzano, on behalf of Transport Minister Tony Valeri, together with Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti, on behalf of Ontario Minister of Transportation Harinder Takhar, announced that their governments, together with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, will jointly contribute $15.1 million for the construction of an international truck route.

“This new international truck route will smooth the flow of people and goods across our borders and make a significant contribution to the health of Canada’s economy,” said Valeri. “This project demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to improving trade efficiency while enhancing safety and security at Canadian border crossings.”

The border crossing at Sault Ste. Marie is a vital transportation link to highways in the United States, said Provenzano.

“This announcement is great news for Sault Ste. Marie,” said Takhar. “Partnerships are essential to building strong and safe communities that offer Ontarians a higher quality of life.”

The new international truck route, which will also be open to cars, will connect with Highway 17 (Trans-Canada Highway), via the existing Second Line Road, and provide a more direct connection with the International Bridge and Interstate 75 in Michigan.

Federal funding for this $15.1 million project comes from the $65 million Border Crossing Transportation Initiatives component of the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), announced in 2001. A total of $11.2 million was jointly contributed on a 50-50 basis by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for this project. The City of Sault Ste. Marie will contribute about $3.9 million to this initiative.

“This project establishes Sault Ste. Marie as one of the most efficient border locations, connecting us to the United States,” said Sault Ste. Marie Mayor John Rowswell. “Having a direct truck route from the international bridge to Second Line solves the 40-year old problem of trucks moving through the downtown core of our city.”