Ontario to twin final 68km of Hwy. 69

Progress being reported on four-laning the final 68-km stretch of Highway 69 between Sudbury and Toronto.

There appears to be progress on four-laning the remaining stretch of Highway 69 between Sudbury and Toronto in Ontario. Currently, approximately 68 kilometres of the highway from Henvey Inlet First Nation to Nobel remains incomplete.

At a news conference in Thunder Bay on Thursday, Premier Doug Ford was asked about expanding all of Highways 11 and 17, rather than focusing solely on areas near the Manitoba border. Ford expressed strong support for the idea.

Ford backs northern highway upgrades

“We’re spending $200 billion on infrastructure, spending a fortune on roads and highways –I think it’s up to $35 billion – but I’m all in, and I want to make sure our highways are safe,” Ford told reporters. “It’s treacherous, especially not just here, but have you ever gone from Sudbury down to the city? Like that two-lane – that was like white-knuckled driving down there. If a transport is off by two inches, you’re done.”

The premier highlighted an agreement with three First Nations communities to secure land for the project.

“We’ve bought their piece of property, and so we’re going to be twinning that. We’ve made that announcement, and my goal is to make sure our highways are safe,” he said.

Northern winters highlight need for safety improvements

Ford emphasized the dangers of northern Ontario winters, stating that those in urban centres may not fully grasp the challenges. “My message to people in the city – you have no clue until you come up to the north and you drive in the winter,” he said. “We drove all through the north during the election. Snow was coming down – we had a pretty heavy winter. It’s terrifying.”

He added that northern Ontario’s harsh conditions are something one must experience firsthand to truly understand.

Timeline still unclear

While Ford confirmed that Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford has been pushing to complete the project, no start date for construction has been announced.

Provincial officials say Ontario remains committed to improving highway safety, with further details expected in the coming months.