TEMISKAMING SHORES – Increased enforcement, more transport rest areas and additional signage are among a list of government initiatives planned to increase safety on Highways 11 and 17.
Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof, a long-time advocate for Northern highway safety, said the government plan falls far short of what is needed.
“Our government is keenly aware how important safe roads, bridges and highways are to the residents, visitors and businesses in the North who rely on them daily,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth.
“That is why we are taking action to improve safety, increase enforcement and make targeted investments that will keep people safe and goods moving, while strengthening connections between northern and remote communities.”
In a release, the province said it plans to increase the number of Transportation Enforcement Officers in Northern Ontario and expand enforcement blitzes along the Highway 11/17 corridor between truck inspection stations to ensure trucks are safe and drivers follow the rules of the road.
Two mobile inspection support units will also be deployed this spring to increase truck enforcement along the corridor.
MPP’s reaction
“(This) announcement was largely a rehash of projects that have already been announced, some multiple times,” said Vanthof in a text exchange with The Speaker.
“The only part that is relatively new is the plan to implement two mobile inspection units in the North. While any investment is welcome, it is painfully obvious that the highway safety crisis in the North is getting worse. The Ford government and its Northern members need to do more than place ads and announce good intentions.”
Safer roads
The government’s plans include:
- Launching procurement in spring 2026 to rebuild the Hearst truck inspection station and replace the weigh scale.
- Improving and upgrading highway signage for better visibility.
- Installing new portable variable messaging signs to provide better safety information to drivers about weather conditions and closures.
- Advancing preliminary design work to expand Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Shabaqua, including scheduling a public meeting in spring 2026.
- Upgrading the provincial rest area network in Northern Ontario to provide more year-round truck parking and working with municipal and business partners to expand capacity, including a new service hub facility in Matheson that will allow more trucks to pull off safely during winter storms.
Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) president Dave Plourde said he is “pleased to see continued investments aimed at improving safety and reliability on Highways 11 and 17.”
“As conversations continue, we will remain focused on supporting long-term enhancements that reflect the significance of these highways to Northern Ontario and to Canada as a whole,” he said.
FONOM has been championing a proposal to three-lane Highways 11 and 17 using a model popular in Europe which provides a continuous alternating passing lane along the route.
