Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Wednesday that construction on Highway 413 is set to commence “in the next few days.” While Ford expressed enthusiasm about the project, he did not provide specific details regarding the cost or timeline for completion during the announcement in Caledon, Ontario.
When pressed for further details, Ford deferred to Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria, who emphasized the importance of the highway project. “The cost of not building is far, far greater,” said Sarkaria. The construction contracts for the 52-kilometre highway have been awarded, aiming to connect Highway 400 in Vaughan with Highway 401 in Mississauga.
One of the first contracts was awarded to Fermar Paving for an embankment at the Highway 401 and Highway 407 interchange. The second contract went to Pave-Al, which will involve resurfacing Highway 10 in Caledon. The Ontario government claims that Highway 413, once completed, will facilitate a commute by saving drivers up to 30 minutes each way, also creating more than 6,000 jobs annually and contributing over $1 billion to Ontario’s GDP.
During the event, Ford reiterated the significance of the highway in addressing gridlock in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and across Ontario. He asserted that the government is fast-tracking construction contracts to stimulate the economy amidst U.S. tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty. “We’re getting it done,” Ford stated, highlighting the urgency of these infrastructure projects to keep workers employed and the economy moving.
However, the project has drawn criticism from various environmental groups and opposition leaders. Protesters voiced their concerns about the highway’s potential impact on prime farmland and local endangered species. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner criticized the government’s lack of a clear budget and timeline, claiming that the highway would not resolve gridlock issues. “This ill-advised project will only fuel more sprawl and pollution, while destroying the wetlands that protect us from flooding and the farmland that feeds us,” he stated.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles also criticized the focus on Highway 413, arguing that immediate relief could be achieved through alternative measures, such as removing tolls for trucks on Highway 407. She stated, “Ontarians are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic and need solutions that get them home to their loved ones now, not decades from now.” Ford, however, declined to eliminate the tolls on Highway 407 for trucks.
The opposition leaders are also raising concerns about the transparency associated with the funding and contracts for Highway 413. Andrea Hazell, the Liberal critic for transportation, pointed out the lack of clear cost estimates and timelines, emphasizing that the public deserves to understand the full implications of such a large-scale project. “Transparency matters, and Ontarians deserve to know the full implications of Highway 413 before billions more are sunk into another Ford project that risks leaving commuters in the same gridlock and taxpayers footing an even bigger bill,” she remarked.
