KENORA – With the first phase construction well underway on the Trans-Canada highway twinning project between Kenora and the Manitoba border, Kenora MP Eric Melillo called on the federal Liberals to commit to helping fund the project.
“It’s something that we see supported now from the province of Ontario with the construction of phase one at the Manitoba border. We have the support of the province of Manitoba. There’s great local participation of First Nations and municipalities as well. Everyone’s on the border right now except the federal government. That’s the missing piece,” said Melillo.
The project was initially announced in 2009 after former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Greg Rickford, when he was a federal MP for the Kenora riding, set aside $100 million to get the project underway.
More than a decade went by without construction getting underway.
Shortly after being elected as the Kenora-Rainy River MPP in 2018, Rickford accused the previous Liberal government of "serving the interests of Liberal candidates in Thunder Bay."
Last year Rickford announced that the Ontario government was going to move ahead with the 6.5-kilometre section of Highway 17 from Highway 673, with a nearly $32-million contract awarded for the work.
However, phase two, which is an 8.5-kilometre stretch from Highway 673 to Rush Bay Road, and phase three, finishing off the 25-kilometre stretch from Rush Bay Road to Kenora, still needs federal funding to be complete, according to Melillo.
"With the Tran-Canada, with Highway 17 specifically, it’s obviously a major national highway," Melillo said in an interview when asked about why the federal government should contribute funding for a provincial highway project.
"It’s our only east-west corridor. There are incredible community safety concerns. We’ve seen far too many accidents and deaths along this highway.”
Melillo added that Trans-Canada Highway has substantial economic concerns as well, including constant road closures due to weather and collisions that delay the movement of goods.
“I think from the safety side and the economic side there is an incredible national interest and national need in twinning the Trans-Canada highway and that’s why I am calling for the federal government to be at the table,” Melillo said.
The Kenora MP has asked the federal government to chip in 50 per cent for all three phases.
“The province is doing its part. I need the federal government to do the same,” said Melillo.
In a statement sent by MP Patty Hajdu, she confirmed that since 2015, the Liberal government has contributed $120 million to the widening of Highway 11/17 in Thunder Bay-Superior North district.
She also stated that “decisions about highway expansion and maintenance fall under the purview of provinces and territories, who are responsible for planning, operation, and funding.”
But Hajdu also confirms, if “a proposal for major infrastructure support is presented by a province, our government will consider funding options.”
