THUNDER BAY — The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is calling on the federal government to declare improving the Trans-Canada Highway through Northwestern Ontario a national priority and wants Ontario to give it equal attention.
In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Doug Ford, NOMA voiced "strong support" for the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) and echoed the Northeastern Ontario municipal lobby group's push for investments in highway upgrades, including establishing a two-plus-one system in northern Ontario. The proposal "enhances safety, supports trade and ensures northern Ontario is not left behind," in Canada’s broader infrastructure planning, according to a NOMA media release.
"This is the corridor that connects Canada," said Rick Dumas, the president of NOMA. "If there are any issues, as we experienced in 2018 when the Nipigon River bridge buckled for 18 hours, the country was paralyzed."
“This corridor isn’t just a regional road, it’s a critical national trade route and lifeline for dozens of northern and Indigenous communities,” Dumas added. “We fully support FONOM’s call to action and emphasize that the Northwest must be a strategic and immediate focus in any provincial or federal highway modernization plan.”
A two-plus-one highway is a three-lane highway with a centre passing lane that changes direction approximately every two to five kilometres, according to a provincial media release issued in 2022 when one was piloted in the North Bay area.
Dumas said that disruptions to the highway, whether due to accidents, weather or construction, pose serious risks not only to local communities but to the national economy.
“When there’s an accident and a fatality, which nobody wants to see happen, but it does, highways are often closed for hours during investigations,” he said. “That shuts down the economy of Canada.”
NOMA and FONOM are advocating for near-term investment into a number of stretches of the Trans-Canada including:
- Highways 17 and 11/17 from Kenora to Thunder Bay
- Highway 11/17 from Thunder Bay to Nipigon
- Highway 17: Nipigon to Sault Ste. Marie
- Highway 11: Extension toward Hearst and Northeast Ontario
“In some areas, we’re asking the government to consider more passing lanes, especially in high-concern zones between Nipigon and Sault Ste. Marie.” said Dumas.
The highway corridor plays a critical role in supporting northern Ontario’s resource economy, particularly in mining, forestry and agriculture, according to NOMA's letter, adding that reliable highway access is also essential for Indigenous communities, many of which remain isolated or dependent on seasonal roads.
“It helps the equities for our First Nations and Indigenous communities to be connected to those links,” Dumas said. “Eventually, the plan is to connect all communities and make sure their highways are safe.”
Transportation access is also vital for emergency response and climate resilience, especially during wildfire season.
“If there’s a fire or spill, or if corridors are closed, that cuts off access,” Dumas said.
“There are many benefits to highway development when you look at emergency response and climate resilience.”
While acknowledging the size and cost of the proposed investments, Dumas said long-term planning and sustained political will are key.
“We know this is a long-term goal,” he said. “But if we continue to sit down at the table and discuss and look at the opportunities, we can all work together and identify those weaknesses within our systems, and all be beneficiaries of that the the plan."
