Thoughts on Highway 11 Rallies

by: John Vanthof, MPP

Thank you to the organizers of these rallies across the North. Highway safety is the number one issue for families in the North. Why? Because we use the highway to go to work, get groceries, and go to the doctor - our families are on them all the time.

The problem is that we share these highways with the transports that move goods across the country, and unlike the rest of Canada, the TransCanada highway system in northern Ontario is not four laned. The highway was not designed for this traffic, and all our families are being put at risk.  Truck traffic is constantly increasing, and major projects like Crawford Nickel and the Ring of Fire will make the highways even busier. Everyone in the north has either had their own experience or they know someone who has had a near-death experience on these highways.  As a result, many families have faced incredible tragedy.

Highways 11 and 17 need to be modernized, so they are no longer the weakest links in the TransCanada chain, and so our families no longer face the highest accident risks in the province.

These highway rallies are a big step in changing that. Your presence at a rally will make a difference. Thank you for standing up for your families.