NDP members Jamie West and France Gélinas launched a non-partisan push on July 23 to finish the Highway 69 expansion. They are demanding the Ontario government four-lane the remaining 68 kilometres of the route connecting Sudbury and Toronto.
The 68-kilometre gap and a promise from 1991
The "Four Lanes, Zero Excuses" campaign centers on a specific 68-kilometre stretch of Highway 69 that remains a dangerous two-lane corridor. According to the report, this expansion is not a new request but a commitment that dates back to 1991. despite being repeatedly reaffirmed by Premier Doug Ford in recent years, the project remains unfinished, leaving a significant gap in the primary artery between Greater Sudbury and Toronto.
This delay reflects a broader pattern of infrastructure stagnation in Northern Ontario, where long-term promises often fail to materialize into asphalt. For residents of Greater Sudbury, the highway is more than a commute;it is a critical safety link. The persistence of this two-lane section in an era of increased traffic volume has turned a provincial commitment into a decades-long point of contention.
France Gélinas and the "zero dollars" budget claim
During the campaign launch at the Mine Mill and Smelter Local 598 hall, Nickel Belt NDP MPP France Gélinas leveled a serious financial accusation against the Progressive Conservative government. Gélinas asserted that over the last eight years, the province has allocated "zero dollars" in its budgets specifically for the four-laning of Highway 69. This claim suggests a stark disconnect between the government's public rhetoric and its actual fiscal priorities.
The lack of dedicated funding transforms the project from a technical challenge into a political one.. While the provincial government may describe the expansion as a goal, the absence of a budget line item indicates that the project has not been integrated into the province's active capital plan. This financial void is the primary driver behind the NDP's demand for a concrete, funded construction schedule.
The June 5 tragedy at Henvey Inlet First Nation
The human cost of the highway's current state was hihglighted by the family of Cody Van Den Bosch, who died in a motor vehicle collision on June 5. The accident occurred on the two-lane section of Highway 69 at Henvey Inlet First Nation. His aunt, Erin Lafond, shared the family's grief during the event, emphasizing that the tragedy is a direct result of a road that has remained dangerously narrow for too long.
The death of Cody Van Den Bosch serves as a catalyst for the "Four Lanes, Zero Excuses" campaign, shifting the conversation from administrative delays to public safety. By centering the campaign on a specific, recent loss, Jamie West and France Gélinas are framing the provincial government's inaction not as a bureaucratic failure, but as a dereliction of duty that has lethal consequences.
Shwe Miikaan and the debunking of First Nations delays
A central pillar of the NDP campaign is the assertion that First Nations are not the cause of the project's stagnation. the report notes that the three First Nations along the affected stretch—Henvey Inlet, Shawanaga, and Magnetawan—actually support the expansion. To facilitate this, the three Nations have formed a limited partnership called Shwe Miikaan to secure work associated with the highway project.
Specific progress has been noted by Indigenous leaders: Magnetawan Chief Lloyd Noganosh stated his community would not hold up the expansion, and Henvey Inlet Chief Wayne McQuabbie reported being close to finalizing a draft agreement with the province. Furthermore, Shawanaga Chief Adam Pawis indicated that an "amicable agreement" could begin by late 2024. These developments effectively dismantle the narrative that Indigenous land claims or disputes are the primary obstacles to the four-laning process.
Minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria's silence on the construction schedule
Despite the readiness of local First Nations and the pressure from Sudbury MPPs, the provincial government has remained elusive regarding a start date. As reported, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria has offered only generic responses to inquiries from Jamie West's office, and the province has rejected a freedom of information request for a project timeline.
While Parry Sound-Muskoka PC MPP and Associate Minister Graydon Smith has called the four-laning a "priority," he admitted there is no specific timeline for the work. This leaves several critical questions unanswered: When will the province finally allocate the necessary funds? What specific "circumstances along the corridor" is the government still negotiating? And why has the province refused to release a timeline via official information requests?
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