District highways being improved

We are all too prepared to accuse the provincial government—centered in Toronto—of not understanding Northwestern Ontario and investing in our communities.
Some of those criticisms are warranted. Many are not.
The province, for instance, has set an aggressive schedule rebuilding Ontario’s highways. Right across Rainy River District, we are experiencing a grand upgrade of our highway system.
Driving to Rainy River on Saturday for the Rainy River Walleye Tournament’s final weigh-in, I couldn’t help but appreciate the road construction going on across the district.
Earlier this summer just east of Fort Frances, I was regularly ticked off waiting for the flagman to let us move along a one-way road area as Pioneer crews installed culverts, new guard rails, and upgraded road beds.
In thinking about those momentary delays, they really were not a great inconvenience.
Now that the black top has been laid, I am enjoying the new smooth road surface. And the gleaming new metal guardrails are a marked improvement over the former wooden rails they replaced.
A year ago, the province rebuilt the highway between Fort Frances and Emo. For several summer months, there were regular delays as culverts were replaced.
When the paving machines began laying the asphalt, families travelling between the two communities on a daily basis cheered.
Last Thursday at our editorial meeting, Anne Mailloux had advised me to allow extra time to travel to Rainy River on Saturday because I would be delayed while asphalt was being put down. Fortunately, a great deal of pavement already was completed and there only was a short delay as crews were sculpting the roadbed to its finished requirements.
The repairs and upgrading of our aging highway infrastructure is a costly undertaking. But the government is taking the long view that quality highways are important to the future of Ontario.
The reconstruction of Highway 71 heading to Kenora also is part of the upgrading of our highway system.
The roadbed over the creek that runs into Emo currently is being reconstructed. For several weeks, piling has been driven down into the north side of the highway and excavation has begun.
This, too, is an expensive undertaking.
Here in Fort Frances, funding received from the province soon will see completion of the roadway and underground infrastructure along Colonization Road East.
All of this construction and highway improvement comes without having a representative sitting in the Liberal caucus in Toronto. One might wonder how much more provincial funding would come to communities in the Kenora-Rainy River riding with a sitting member.
What projects that still sit on the back burner would be advancing?
While the province is continuing to spend money on infrastructure upgrading, what should our municipal governments be asking for?