TORONTO — Thunder Bay’s north side-area MPP is reiterating what she and her party want to see done for northern highway safety in Ontario.
At Queen’s Park on Wednesday, Thunder Bay-Superior North New Democrat member Lise Vaugeois spoke on the NDP’s northern highway safety plan.
“Highway safety remains the number one issue in northern Ontario,” Vaugeois said.
“Access to healthcare is also a priority, but people in the region cannot access health care if the highways are closed due to yet another catastrophic accident.”
Because Vaugeois brought up the issue as part of Wednesday’s members’ statements and not during question period, the sitting Progressive Conservative government wasn’t able to respond. Northern highway safety was brought up repeatedly during the provincial election campaign earlier this year.
As the NDP highlighted during the campaign, Vaugeois said Ontario should have all new commercial drivers tested by the Ministry of Transportation.
“If new drivers can't pass a legitimate road test, they shouldn't be on the road,” she said.
Vaugeois also called for bringing highway maintenance, including snow clearing, back in-house, rather than having it done by private contractors and mandating that snow must be cleared within eight hours. She also called for the new inspection station in Shuniah, just east of Thunder Bay, to be staffed 24/7.
The $30 million facility opened in 2024 and the Ministry of Transportation has said it would be used on an as-needed basis, like during enforcement blitzes.
Transport industry safety advocates have told Newswatch they’ve noticed a decline in commercial vehicle enforcement and facilities like inspection stations aren’t open and operational as much as they used to be.
