QUEEN’S PARK — Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti is calling on Ottawa to observe a 57-year old law that requires the federal government to kick in half the cost Trans Canada expansion in Northern Ontario.

In the Ontario Legislature Bill 149 — An Act Respecting the Improvement of Highway 17 — was debated for the first time during second reading. The Act, put forward by Orazietti, calls on the Federal government to enter into a cost-sharing agreement with the province to improve the Northern Ontario section of the national highway.

“Northerners deserve a new deal from the Federal government when it comes to Trans Canada Highway funding,” said Orazietti in a press release. “They should live up to their historic commitments and support a project that will improve the economy, safety and quality of life for everyone in Northern Ontario.”

Improving Hwy 17 would have a real impact on
the prosperity of the north, says Bradley

Orazietti cited Trans Canada Highway Act, first introduced in 1949, which prescribed that the Government of Canada and the provincial governments would share in the costs of constructing a national highway. The law bill stated that the feds would reimburse the provinces for 50 percent of the costs for any portion of road that could be incorporated into the national highway built after 1928 and mandated that Ottawa would pay 50 percent of future costs.

According to road user groups like the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and Ontario Trucking Association, the federal government currently pays for only 7 percent of the Trans Canada.

“The time lines for highway re-development are too long, the time for joint action is today,” said Doug Mayhew, Manager, Public & Government Affairs for the CAA. “A safe and functional Highway 17 is a total necessity for the communities in the north.”

Orazietti says the provincial government has committed about $850 million toward highways in Northern Ontario since 2004, but more improvements are needed to improve safety.

The Trans Canada Highway in Northern Ontario has the lowest percentage of four-laned highway when compared to any other jurisdiction in the country at only 10 percent, according to Orazietti.

Driving on certain portions of highway 17 can be dangerous without separated traffic, especially in the winter-time when snow and ice can create a challenge for even the most cautious of drivers. An annual average of 39 fatalities occur as a result of collisions on the highway, he adds.

“Safe and dependable highway transportation links are the key to economic development and growth, and improving Highway 17 would have a real impact on the prosperity of the north,” said OTA President David Bradley,

Bill 149 proposes the Federal and Provincial governments develop a plan to improve Highway 17 in a variety of ways that address the concerns of Northern Ontario motorists.

“My vision for the North is to see a modernized Trans Canada Highway, with improved safety measures such as additional passing lanes, paved shoulders, rumble strips, rest stops, and ultimately a 4-lane divided highway,” said Orazietti.