Sudbury MP calls for provincial action on completing Highway 69

Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe urges Ontario Premier Doug Ford to fund Highway 69 four-laning. Lyndsay Aelick has more.

Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe has written to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, calling on the provincial government to commit the required funding and complete the four-laning of Highway 69 as soon as possible.

Lapointe said she recently requested briefings from the federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, seeking specific information about project timelines.

“As it currently stands, the construction to complete Highway 69 is not scheduled to start until 2029, and it wouldn’t end until 2037,” Lapointe said.

She noted that the timeline marks nearly 40 years since the provincial government first announced it would four-lane the highway.

“In 2019, the federal government committed $169 million to complete the four-laning of the highway and that $169 million in the infrastructure fund,” said Lapointe.

“It requires a 50 per cent equal funding amount from the province and the province has not yet committed their 50 per cent.”

CTV News reached out to the premier’s office but was directed to officials with the Ministry of Transportation, who provided a statement.

“We have already widened 84 kilometres of Highway 69 to four lanes. We also completed 14 kilometres of lanes from south of Alban to the French River area,” the statement said in part.

“The remaining 68 kilometres are moving through engineering, approvals and consultation right now, as we continue to work through the many complexities of this upgrade and remain actively engaged with local First Nations and others to get this work done as quickly as possible.”

Lapointe said she understands that some area Chiefs are eager to complete the talks.

“They (First Nation leaders) too are very committed and understand the need to keep that highway safe,” she said.

“So, it’s just a matter of getting those negotiations done.”

In her letter, Lapointe said the four-laning of Highway 69 has been studied, planned and deferred for too long, and that the provincial government’s delays have caused immeasurable harm to people.