By Stuart McAllister
CRANBERRY, Ont. — Ontario plans to introduce legislation it says would let the province finish four-laning Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury up to five years ahead of schedule, a long-promised upgrade to a road First Nations and northern leaders say has seen too many tragedies.
The proposed Building Highway 69 Faster Act would create a project-specific environmental assessment framework that builds on work already done, “while maintaining environmental oversight and fulfilling the province’s duty to consult with Indigenous communities,” the province said. It says the measures are similar to those used to speed up Highway 413 in the Greater Toronto Area.
68 kilometres to go
Of the 152-kilometre corridor between Sudbury and Parry Sound, 84 kilometres has been four-laned, leaving 68 kilometres, Northern Ontario Business reported. The remaining work is split into six sections, four of which are expected to be under construction by the end of 2027.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria made the announcement Thursday at the turnoff to Grundy Lake Provincial Park. “People in northern Ontario have waited long enough for a safer, more reliable Highway 69, and our government is taking action to get it built faster,” he said.
“Highway 69 is more than just a road. It’s a vital link between Northern Ontario and the rest of the province, and an important corridor for trade across this country,” Sarkaria said.
No price tag yet
The province has not given a cost estimate or a firm completion date. Sarkaria said the money is allocated within Ontario’s $31-billion, 10-year highway plan and that costs will be released after contracts are tendered. “We don’t want to release details that would impact pricing when it’s going to be competitively bid on certain sections,” he said.
Part of a Canadian National Railway line must be relocated for a new interchange at Highway 522 before major work begins. The province is also asking Ottawa to speed federal environmental approvals and watercourse-crossing permits.
First Nations partners
Chief Adam Pawis of Shawanaga First Nation, speaking for affected Indigenous communities, said they want the highway done. “Our communities have been working with the Province of Ontario for a number of years, and although we’re all at different locations in our discussions, we have made the commitment to Ontario, to our people, and to our region to ensure that this highway gets built as fast as is humanly possible,” he said.
“It is far too long that people suffer tragedies, that we see accidents, and a newer, safer highway means better transportation for people in our communities,” Pawis said.
George Pirie, minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, said a safe Highway 69 “is essential to Sudbury and northern Ontario’s economy.”
Why it matters in WNY
Ontario has framed the project as part of a push to strengthen interprovincial trade and supply chains and “protecting Canadian sovereignty” at a time of “global economic uncertainty.” Highway 69 is a main route between Sudbury and southern Ontario, whose highways feed the Niagara and Windsor-Detroit border crossings.
The Buffalo Chronicle has requested comment from the Ministry of Transportation on the expected completion date and estimated cost of the remaining work.
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