West calls on the government to make Highway 69 a priority

QUEEN’S PARK — During question period Tuesday, Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West called on the Ford government commit funding to the four-laning of Highway 69.

“Expanding the highway is vital for safe and reliable access to Ontario’s North,” said West. “There are only 68 kilometers left to four-lane, but we still do not know when this project will be completed.”

It has been 14 years since the previous Liberal government promised they would complete the four-laning of Highway 69. The Liberals let Sudbury down, and now the Ford Conservatives are also delaying the project. West reminded Doug Ford that the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 budget submission urged the government to provide the funding needed to start work on the next stage of the highway.

“The Sudbury Chamber of Commerce is calling on the government to expedite this project,” said West. “The economic prosperity of our region depends on there being no further delays.”

Almost a year ago, West asked the Minister of Transportation when northerners could expect the four-laning of Highway 69 to be completed. West expressed disappointment that despite the minister’s response at the time that there would be an update in 2019 budget, the budget did not include a single dollar, or any plan to get it done.

“Will the premier continue to string people along – like the Liberals did for more than a decade – or will he commit to making Highway 69 a priority in the 2020 budget?”