The province has been dragging its feet on completing the four-laning of Highway 69, Nickel Belt Liberal MP Marc Serré said this week.
“The Highway 69 (federal) funding was approved in January 2019 and was announced in May of 2019 is lagging from provincial counterparts,” a press release issued by the MP stated. “There is yet to be any official Request for Proposals announced, which is paramount to get these projects moving; despite the fact that financial commitments are already in place. Highway safety and increased flow of goods and services to the North can’t wait any longer as it has been over three years.”
This assertion follows a rundown in the media release of federal contributions to various area infrastructure projects over the past few years, which includes $169 million for Highway 69, more than $30 million for the Maley Drive extension, $13 million for Place des Arts and $40 million for the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator.
Last year, the province completed another 14 kilometres of the four-laning of Highway 69, which leaves 68 kilometres remaining to be four-laned from French River to Parry Sound.
Area Ontario NDP MPPs Jamie West (Sudbury) and France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) have been outspoken in advocating for the accelerated four-laning of this stretch of highway, with West citing a 2018 pledge from Premier Doug Ford to complete the four-laning as a broken campaign promise thus far.
This week’s media release from Serré’s office also focuses on the importance of supporting businesses and people moving out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
