Chapter 1, Section C: Building Highways and Key Infrastructure

Introduction

For too long, the people of Ontario have been stuck in gridlock, with thousands of hours wasted on packed trains or behind the wheel in bumper-to-bumper traffic, costing billions to the province’s economy. This has to change. This is why the government is building Ontario with more roads and bridges, transit and highways, including Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass.

Fighting Gridlock

Many people in Ontario depend on highways and roads to get them to and from work, home to their families, and to keep goods moving across the province. Travel demand on provincial highways in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) grew three times faster than the rate of new road construction. Gridlock on highways and roads costs the economy more than $11 billion a year in productivity. Ontario is building new highways, roads, bridges and transit to reduce gridlock for drivers, strengthen supply chains and keep Ontario moving.

Building Transportation in the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Ontario’s bold vision for the Greater Golden Horseshoe will create jobs, boost the province’s competitiveness and meet the demands of people and businesses in the rapidly growing region. In March 2022, Ontario released Connecting the GGH: A Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

I applaud the Province for its Connecting the GGH plan, a commitment to building a transportation system that supports people and businesses across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Virginia Hackson,
Mayor
Town of East Gwillimbury

The plan will support population growth, expected to reach almost 15 million over the next 30 years, reduce gridlock, connect communities and improve people’s access to jobs, housing, health care and education.

The plan includes more than 100 actions, including building Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. Ontario is also moving ahead with the largest subway build in Canadian history and the expansion of regional passenger rail services.

Building Highway 413

Ontario is moving ahead with building Highway 413, a new 400-series highway and transit corridor across Halton, Peel and York regions. Drivers travelling the full length of the highway will save up to 30 minutes, giving back drivers up to five hours more per week to spend with friends and family.

Highway 413 is not only a fundamental piece of infrastructure, it’s a key part of Ontario’s success in the future.

Stephen Laskowski
President
Ontario Trucking Association

The preferred route would extend from Highway 400, between King Road and Kirby Road, to the 401/407 interchange near Mississauga, Milton and Halton Hills. The 59‑kilometre four-to-six-lane 400-series highway will have connections to Highways 400, 427, 410, 401 and the 407. The corridor will include separate infrastructure dedicated for transit and passenger stations, truck parking and intelligent transportation such as sharing safety messaging with connected vehicles. During construction, Highway 413 is expected to support up to 3,500 jobs each year and generate up to $350 million in annual real gross domestic product (GDP).

Highway 413 will bring relief to the most congested corridor in North America and play a vital role in the government’s plan for job creation and economic growth. In addition to reducing time on the road for drivers, including those taking goods to market, the highway will link growing regions, provide better connections to housing and jobs, and attract increased investment in auto manufacturing and other industries.

Building the Bradford Bypass

The Bradford Bypass is critical to the economic vitality of Simcoe County and York Region. The detailed design of the highway and the broad range of important environmental impact studies are great progress. Thank you for the Ontario government’s continued commitment to this project.

Rob Keffer
Mayor
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury

Simcoe County and York Region are expected to experience rapid growth over the next 20 years, and that explosive growth needs infrastructure to support it. This is why, in November 2021, the government took another step towards getting shovels in the ground to build the Bradford Bypass, a new four-lane freeway connecting Highway 400 in Simcoe County and Highway 404 in York Region by advancing procurement to design and build bridge crossings. This critical transportation infrastructure will ease gridlock in the Greater Golden Horseshoe by taking pressure off an increasingly congested Highway 400 and existing east-west local roads. It is estimated that commuters using the Bradford Bypass will save up to 35 minutes, which equals a 60 per cent reduction in travel time per trip compared to existing routes on local roads. Commuters using Highway 400 are expected to experience a smoother journey after the construction of this link. This project is expected to support an estimated 2,640 jobs per year, on average, during construction and generate an estimated $274 million in annual GDP.

Expanding Highway 401

The Highway 401 corridor is an important economic link to Eastern Ontario, Eastern Canada, and Ontario’s largest Canadian trading partner — Quebec. It carries, on average, 17,000 trucks per day with commodities valued at $615 million per day. About $75 million worth of U.S.-related trade moves through this corridor. This is why the government is undertaking early works and property acquisitions along Highway 401, including bridge replacements in Oshawa and Port Hope. This work would enable future widening of Highway 401 to relieve congestion starting at Brock Road in Pickering and through Eastern Ontario. Expanding Highway 401 would help fight gridlock and make the trip easier for people travelling along the corridor. Work to expand Highway 401 includes:

• Bridge replacement in Oshawa to facilitate future widening between Brock Road in Pickering through to Highway 35/115.
• Bridge replacement in Port Hope to facilitate future widening between Highway 35/115 through to Belleville.
• Land acquisitions to facilitate future widening of Highway 401 through Belleville and Brockville.

Building Roads, Highways and Bridges across Ontario

Ontario is investing $25.1 billion over the next 10 years to build roads, bridges, highways, creating jobs, helping to improve productivity and fight gridlock. Examples include:

• The QEW Garden City Skyway rehabilitation project which will include a new twin bridge on the QEW over the Welland Canal connecting the City of St. Catharines to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Once completed, the new bridge will carry the QEW Toronto-bound traffic, while the existing Garden City Skyway will be rehabilitated and modified to carry the QEW Niagara-bound traffic only. This section of the highway is a strategic trade and economic corridor that links the international border crossings at Niagara Falls and Fort Erie with the Greater Golden Horseshoe, strengthening the province’s supply chain while continuing to rebuild the economy.
• Continuing the next phase of construction for the new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph. The new Highway 7 will provide relief to the gridlocked Highway 401 and connect the fast-growing urban centres of Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph.
• Widening Highway 6 in Hamilton to double capacity from two to four lanes over a nine-kilometre segment between Highway 403 and Upper James Street. The government is moving forward with a Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Update Study that will include outreach to Indigenous communities, municipalities and stakeholders, including the airport and business owners.
• Finishing the widening of Highway 17 from Arnprior to Renfrew to four lanes, which will increase capacity as well as enhance road safety for travellers by separating opposing traffic and providing additional passing opportunities.
• Widening Highway 3 from two to four lanes for 15.6 kilometres between the Towns of Essex and Leamington. As many as 17,300 vehicles travel between Essex and Leamington each day, making Highway 3 a critical link in Southwestern Ontario that provides both regional and international connectivity. The Ontario government has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to design, build and finance the next stage of the Highway 3 expansion project. The successful bidder is expected to be announced in fall 2022.

Highway Expansion and Rehabilitation Projects

The Ontario Highways Program also includes information on more than 580 expansion and rehabilitation projects that are either underway or currently planned.

Table 1.1
Examples of Highway Expansion and Rehabilitation Projects

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

Investing in Northern Highways

Ontario has a plan to improve road safety, create jobs and make life easier for people in Northern Ontario. In 2022–23, the government plans to spend $492.7 million to get shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects.

Examples of the government’s plan to build Northern Ontario include:

• Twinning Highway 17 between the Manitoba border and Kenora. In November 2021, the government signed two contracts with Indigenous partners for early works to produce the raw materials needed to build the road base and for clearing work for the first section of the Highway 17 twinning project. Construction is expected to start in May 2022 and be complete in summer 2024. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) continues to work with property owners, municipalities, and First Nations and Métis communities on this project.
• Opening of a 14-kilometre expansion of Highway 69 in the French River area. The new lanes on Highway 69 extend from north of Highway 522 to north of Highway 607. This section is part of work to widen Highway 69 from Parry Sound to Sudbury.
• Widening Highway 11/17 from two to four lanes between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, including two new bridges over Pearl River.
• Improving road safety and traffic flow by identifying potential locations for a 2+1 highway pilot on Highway 11 north of North Bay — the first-ever in North America. A 2+1 highway is a three-lane highway with a centre passing lane that changes directions approximately every two to five kilometres, separated by a barrier.

Improving Highway 101 through Timmins

The government is funding the reconstruction of Highway 101 through Timmins, which is a vital piece of infrastructure that supports commuters and local mining and forest industries. This highway is an approximately 21.4-kilometre stretch of Highway 101 and is used by 25,000 vehicles per day. These types of highway investments will improve roads and get people to where they need to go, connecting them to jobs and supporting economic growth in local communities.

Ontario On Track

The Ontario government is building transit infrastructure faster, supporting thousands of jobs, creating economic growth and getting people where they need to be.

Expanding GO Transit

Ontario is transforming the GO Transit rail network into a modern, reliable and fully integrated rapid transit network that will reduce commute times and improve access and convenience across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and into Southwestern Ontario by steadily increasing service with faster trains, more stations and seamless connections. Highlights include:

The Bowmanville GO Rail Extension: Ontario is advancing work to expand GO Transit rail services from Oshawa into Bowmanville. This extension along the Lakeshore East corridor will help reduce gridlock and provide expanded rail service in Durham beyond the current terminus at Oshawa GO Station.

The London GO Rail Extension: In October 2021, Metrolinx launched a pilot project to provide weekday GO train trips between London and Union Station in Toronto. The new service extends beyond GO Transit’s Kitchener Line and includes stops in St. Marys and Stratford. Ontario is proceeding with planning work and investments for track improvements to support implementation of faster and more frequent service between London and Union Station in Toronto.

The Niagara GO Rail Extension: The government continues to work with rail partners on a solution to deliver increased service between Union Station and Niagara Region sooner and at a lower cost to taxpayers.

Building Subways

In the 2019 Budget, Ontario announced its historic new vision to build Ontario with the largest subway expansion in Canadian history. Ontario’s bold plan includes the all-new Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.

Ontario’s new subway transit plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will support more than 16,000 jobs annually during construction over the next decade. By 2041, the subway projects are expected to have a total daily ridership of roughly 620,000 and expand the existing network by 50 per cent. Shovels are now in the ground across the region. Recent milestones to advance Ontario’s subway expansion include:

• In December 2021, three tunnel boring machines, Rexy and Renny for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Diggy Scardust for the Scarborough Subway Extension, arrived in Toronto from Germany.
• In December 2021, Ontario released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to begin procurement for the second advance tunnel contract for a section of underground works from Jane Street to the future Mount Dennis Station for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. The government also released a pre-qualification for the project’s elevated section of tracks from Scarlett Road to Jane Street.
• In February 2022, Ontario invited qualified proponents to respond to an RFP to design and build the Stations, Rail and Systems package for the Scarborough Subway Extension project. The scope of the package includes three new subway stations, associated bus facilities, and installation of all systems including track, signals and communications.
• In February 2022, Ontario released the draft Environmental Project Report Addendum for the Yonge North Subway Extension. The report builds off previous environmental studies and also reveals new details about the footprints of all four confirmed stations — Steeles, Clark, Bridge and High Tech — plus the two potential stations, Cummer and Royal Orchard, that may be added to the project.

Building Transit Vehicles in Ontario

Ontario is supporting ongoing service expansion across the GO rail network as well as bolstering economic growth in Northwestern Ontario by providing $109 million to refurbish 56 GO Transit bi-level rail coaches at the Ontario Northland Remanufacturing and Repair Centre in North Bay. This is in addition to the $171 million provided to refurbish 94 GO Transit bi-level rail coaches that will support 200 manufacturing jobs at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay. The refurbished rail coaches will provide Metrolinx with the rail fleet required to support GO Transit expansion.

The government previously announced $180 million towards the purchase of 60 new streetcars for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) that will also be built in Thunder Bay and ensure that the TTC can address immediate and future streetcar fleet needs.

Bringing Back Passenger Rail Service to the North

Bringing back passenger rail service is at the forefront of the government’s plan to secure a prosperous and healthy future for Northern Ontario. In November 2021, Ontario named Timmins — one of the largest municipalities in Northern Ontario and a major employment hub — as the terminus station for the Northeastern Passenger Rail Service. The government has also identified a preferred route that includes a rail connection to Cochrane.

To support the reinstated service, the government is making the necessary $75 million capital investment to support corridor, fleet and station upgrades. The release of an updated Initial Business Case brings Ontario one step closer to building a more connected transportation network that would support economic opportunities, the tourism industry and improve access to health care, education, as well as other critical services.

Building Transit-Oriented Communities

The government is leading the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) program in the Greater Golden Horseshoe to build vibrant, complete communities within walking distance to GO Transit, light rail transit (LRT) and priority transit lines. This approach will bring more housing, jobs, commercial and retail space, community amenities, and parklands to key transit hubs.

Transit-Oriented Communities allow the government to leverage third-party investments to explore new funding avenues and opportunities to deliver transit at a lower cost to the taxpayer. They would also help increase transit ridership, fight gridlock and facilitate an increase in housing supply, while creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.

The Ontario government has signed an agreement with a private partner to build a TOC at the future East Harbour Transit Hub. The 38-acre site would include the creation of a major employment centre, and is expected to create up to 50,000 jobs as well as thousands of housing units in the area.

In York Region, Ontario is moving forward with building a TOC at the future Bridge and High Tech Stations creating tens of thousands of new jobs, approximately 40,000 housing units and bringing community amenities closer to transit.

Transit-Oriented Communities are also proceeding at the future Corktown, Queen-Spadina, King‑Bathurst and Exhibition Stations along the Ontario Line as the government is preparing to select building partners for each site.

Building Community Infrastructure

Building and repairing community infrastructure is essential for providing reliable and sustainable services to the people of Ontario.

Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund

Through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), the government doubled its annual investment to nearly $2 billion over five years, beginning in 2021–22, to help 424 small, rural and Northern communities construct and rehabilitate roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure. The OCIF provides investments in local infrastructure and asset management planning to address priority needs such as public safety and impacts from climate change. This includes critical projects that will directly support job creation and drive economic growth, such as:

• Widening of Bell Boulevard in Belleville from two to four lanes;
• Providing a reliable and safe source of drinking water in the Township of Assiginack by retrofitting the Manitowaning and Sunsite Estates water treatment plants with a modern ultrafiltration system;
• Replacing the Altona Bridge on the Uxbridge-Pickering Townline Road over Duffins Creek; and
• Upgrading watermain infrastructure along Beach Street in the Town of Saugeen Shores.

In addition to the government’s investments in OCIF, Ontario will also continue to engage the federal government to ensure funding is available for critical community infrastructure needs including water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) represents up to $30 billion in combined federal, provincial and partner funding over 10 years. Since June 2018, Ontario has committed to investing a total of $10.2 billion across five ICIP sub-streams: the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream; Green Infrastructure Stream; Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream; COVID-19 Resilience Stream; and the Community, Culture and Recreation Stream. Four of the ICIP streams were open to and included projects in or from First Nations and Indigenous communities.

Ontario continues to join its provincial and territorial partners in calling on the federal government for new funding of $10 billion a year over 10 years to help communities meet the demand for infrastructure renewal, respond to a changing climate and support economic growth.

Table 1.2
Examples of Recently Approved Projects under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

Protecting Ontario’s Water

Protecting Ontario’s lakes is a key commitment in the government’s plan to help ensure a safe, healthy and clean environment now and for future generations. The government is investing $24 million for the planning and construction of the Holland Marsh Phosphorus Recycling Facility in York Region. The facility will help treat phosphorus runoff from a 7,000-acre area, with the aim of reducing phosphorus levels from the marsh entering Lake Simcoe by up to 40 per cent. Wastewater and stormwater from urban areas can add pollutants, such as phosphorus, to lakes and rivers, resulting in negative impacts on water quality and causing harmful algal blooms. This investment builds on the largest freshwater and plastic capture initiative in Ontario’s history. Looking ahead, the government is building Ontario through strategic investments in stormwater and wastewater management, while leveraging digital technology and innovation to plan for sustainable growth for generations to come.

Building Modern Schools

Building, expanding and renovating schools in Ontario can help future generations learn and develop. This is why the government is investing about $14 billion in capital grants over 10 years to support school infrastructure. This includes $1.4 billion to renew and maintain schools for the 2022–23 school year. The government is also launching a pilot program to collaborate with school boards to expedite school construction using rapid, modular build methods so students can take advantage of new and updated schools sooner. These investments in schools will leave a lasting legacy and benefit families for years to come.

Building a Revitalized Ontario Place

In July 2021, the government announced details of its plan to revitalize Ontario Place into a world‑class destination. Plans for redeveloping Ontario Place include:

• Modernizing public spaces across the site and adding new parks, promenades, trails, as well as beaches.
• Retaining and integrating key heritage and recreational features of Ontario Place, including the Cinesphere, the pod complex, the marina, Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail.
• Working with the Ontario Science Centre to explore opportunities to have science-related tourism and educational programming at the Cinesphere and pod complex.
• Working with the three successful proponents, Therme Group, Live Nation and Écorécréo Group, to build world-class attractions.

The redevelopment of Ontario Place is expected to create more than 5,000 construction jobs and staff positions once the attractions open to the public, with approximately five million visitors expected annually.

The Ontario government has also been working with the City of Toronto to achieve consensus on the process for Ontario Place’s redevelopment. A City of Toronto and province of Ontario agreement was endorsed by Toronto City Council in February 2022 and will help guide the relationship between the City of Toronto and province of Ontario along with ensuring that both parties, including the private partners, achieve their desired outcomes as work to revitalize the site begins.

Extensive public engagement has been undertaken to consult on the Ontario Place redevelopment project, including an online public survey and three virtual public information sessions that took place during fall 2021. More engagements are planned, and the public can visit EngageOntarioPlace.ca for additional details.

Creating a New Provincial Park

The people of Ontario have a special and long-standing connection to provincial parks and conservation reserves. The Ontario government is planning to build the first new operating provincial park in 40 years, which will include modern, four-season facilities. This is another way the government is building stronger and healthier communities by expanding recreational opportunities for Ontario families to enjoy.

Chart Descriptions

Chart 1.6: Bradford Bypass

This map illustrates the proposed route of the Bradford Bypass, a 16.2 km four-lane controlled-access freeway that connects Highway 400 and Highway 404 in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury and the Town of East Gwillimbury.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

Return to Chart 1.6

Chart 1.7: Building Transit in the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area

This map shows various transit lines in the Greater Golden Horseshoe highlighting the following:

Yonge-University Line

• Provides two-way subway service from Finch Station to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station connecting North York and Vaughan.
• Key stops from east to west include Sheppard Yonge, Eglinton, Bloor-Yonge, Queen, Union Station, St George, Spadina, Cedarvale/Eglinton West, Downsview Park and Finch West.

Bloor-Danforth Line

• Provides two-way subway service from Kennedy Station to Kipling Station connecting Scarborough to Etobicoke.
• Key stops from east to west include Main, Pape, Bloor-Yonge, St George, Spadina and Dundas West.

Sheppard Line

• Provides two-way subway service from Don Mills Station to Sheppard Yonge Station in North York with a key stop at Leslie Station.

Eglinton Line

• Provides two-way light rail service from Kennedy Station to Mount Dennis Station along Eglinton Avenue.
• Key stops from east to west include Science Centre, Eglinton, Cedarvale and Caledonia.

GO Lines

• The Barrie Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Allandale Waterfront Station in Barrie.
• The Kitchener Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Kitchener.
• The London Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to London.
• The Lakeshore East Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Oshawa/Bowmanville.
• The Lakeshore West Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to both Hamilton and Niagara Falls.
• The Milton Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Milton.
• The Richmond Hill Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Bloomington Station in Richmond Hill.
• The Stouffville Line provides GO train service from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Lincolnville Station in Stouffville.

Yonge North Subway Extension

• Will provide additional two-way subway service north of Finch Station with four new additional stations — Steeles, Clark, Bridge and High Tech.
• Two potential stations at Cummer and Royal Orchard.

Scarborough Subway Extension

• Will provide additional two-way subway service northeast of Kennedy Station with three new stations — Lawrence, Scarborough Centre and Sheppard.

Ontario Line

• Will provide additional two-way subway service connecting the Ontario Science Centre to Exhibition Place through downtown Toronto.
• The new line will feature 15 stops including Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, Cosburn, Pape, Gerrard, Leslieville, East Harbour, Corktown, Moss Park, Queen, Osgoode, Queen/Spadina and King/Bathurst.

Eglinton Crosstown West Extension

• Will provide additional light rail service west of the future Mount Dennis station with seven new proposed stops at Jane, Scarlett, Royal York, Islington, Kipling, Martin Grove and Renforth.
• Includes proposed connection to the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Proposed Sheppard East Extension

• Would provide additional two-way subway service by expanding the existing Sheppard Line east of Don Mills Station to the new Sheppard Station in Scarborough.

Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT)

• Will provide new light rail service in Peel region connecting Port Credit Station in Mississauga to Steeles Station in Brampton along Hurontario Street.

Finch West LRT

• Will provide new light rail service connecting Finch West Station on the Yonge-University Line to Humber College.

Hamilton LRT

• Will provide new light rail service connecting Eastgate Square to McMaster University through downtown Hamilton.
• The new line will feature 17 stops including Nash, Parkdale, Queenston, Kenilworth, Ottawa, Gage Park, Scott Park, Sherman, Wentworth, Wellington, Mary, James, Queen, Dundurn and Longwood.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation

Return to Chart 1.7