TIMMINS – Ontario’s 2026 budget misses the mark for Northern Ontario, says Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof.
Vanthof is disappointed the budget failed to acknowledge growing concerns from northern communities, including road safety and municipal infrastructure.
“I would say, from a northern perspective, more of the same and missing the moment,” he told TimminsToday.
“We were at least expecting the government to acknowledge that the status quo isn’t working, and there was no acknowledgement at all.”
He said many of the projects mentioned in the budget have been announced before, without significant new commitments.
“They reannounced the programs that they had before in Northern Ontario, reannounced the building projects that they’ve announced so many times before,” he said.
“Status quo isn’t an option — but it seems to be an option for northerners.”
One of Vanthof’s biggest concerns is the absence of the previously discussed $20 million in Municipal Road funding, which would have supported communities such as Timmins and Iroquois Falls.
“We don’t know where that went,” he said. “We are going to, during the debates, push hard to see what’s going on.”
Vanthof said he expected to see movement on the issue after repeated concerns were raised by northern municipalities.
“The premier himself mentioned at ROMA (Rural Ontario Municipal Association) that there were so many complaints coming from Highway 11 and Highway 17,” he said.
“I told my colleagues we should strike while the iron is hot — but it sure didn’t come through in the budget.”
Highway safety remains key concern
The budget again references improvements to passing opportunities on northern highways through 2+1 highway designs, which include alternating passing lanes.
Vanthof said some work has started, but progress has been slow.
“They have just started cleaning the trees on each side of the pilot project and they put up one big ass sign, so I can’t say they haven’t done anything,” he said. “But this is still years in the making.”
He said if the project had moved forward more quickly, the province would already know whether the design is effective.
“If that project actually had been designed and built as soon as they announced it, we would know if it was going to work or not,” he said.
Northlander welcomed, but not a full solution
The return of the Northlander passenger rail service is one of the few commitments Vanthof supports.
He said residents along the route have long pushed for the train’s return.
“I’ll give credit where credit is due — the government has committed and it’s coming back,” he said.
Vanthof said the rail service will benefit northern communities, but will not solve safety problems on highways.
“Is the Northlander the answer to the traffic woes we’re having on the Trans-Canada? No,” he said.
“It will help, 100 per cent. But it isn’t going to solve the tragedies that we’re having on Highway 11.”
The budget also includes plans to explore a rideshare pilot program for communities with the Northlander. It’s create standardized riles for rideshares, which are currently managed by individual municipalities, so the standards are different across the province.
Housing infrastructure still a challenge
Vanthof said the budget also missed an opportunity to help northern communities build housing.
He said many municipalities struggle with the cost of installing infrastructure needed for new development.
“One of the biggest things holding northern communities back is the cost of installing infrastructure to build housing,” he said.
While the province announced measures such as an HST holiday on new housing, Vanthof said more support is needed.
“In Northern Ontario, there’s a lot of bedrock, there’s a lot of frost, there’s a lot of issues you have to deal with,” he said. “I don’t think the government made a big enough boost for Northern Ontario.”
Vanthof also criticized the budget for failing to address the rising cost of living, particularly in northern regions.
“The cost of living is getting more and more expensive for everyone, and in Northern Ontario that’s even more pronounced,” he said.
Northern residents face higher day-to-day costs, he said, due to climate and geography, despite lower housing prices in some areas.
“This budget doesn’t have anything to deal with individuals,” he said.
As the budget moves through debate, Vanthof said his party will continue pushing for stronger commitments for northern communities.
“We’re going to push like crazy for commitments, especially on the roads — immediate, short, medium and long-term,” he said.
Vanthof said the lack of specific attention to northern concerns was one of the most surprising elements of the budget.
“There was actually no page addressing the pain of Northern Ontario. Even if they weren’t doing anything, at least say, ‘Hey, we get it. There’s an issue here, and we are going to try and fix it,’” he said.
“Closed highways and grieving families seem to be all right with these guys.”
