Representatives from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities were in Ottawa on Tuesday to meet with federal and provincial leaders to lobby for improvements to Highways 11 and 17.
The meeting comes as part of an ongoing effort by northern municipal leaders to address highway safety along a couple of Canada’s most dangerous stretches of road.
NOMA and FONOM leadership met with Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, Federal Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu, and Ontario Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth George Pirie.
The northern municipal organizations are focused on speeding up highway twinning, which has been discussed in the region for decades.
“Today’s meeting was another important step forward in ensuring Northern Ontario’s transportation infrastructure remains part of the national conversation,” said NOMA President Rick Dumas of the day’s event. “There was strong recognition around the table that Highways 11 and 17 are not simply Northern highways — they are nationally significant trade, supply chain, and community lifelines that connect Canada from coast to coast.”
An Ontario NDP campaign over the winter highlighted the high death toll on the highways, and has since built momentum.
Beyond highway twinning, other safety considerations, including medians and two-plus-one roads are also a part of the current discussion on highway improvements.
