The North deserves twinning of Highway 69 without strings attached

After the government refused to bring Highway 69 forward as a stand-alone legislation, Ontario NDP MPPs Jamie West (Sudbury), and France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) released the following statement:

“We support twinning Highway 69 and have worked for years to make it happen,” said MPP Gélinas. “But the Ford government has buried one Highway 69 schedule in an omnibus bill with 22 other schedules full of measures we cannot support.

“We asked them to bring Highway 69 forward as stand-alone legislation, and they refused. They are turning a matter of life and death for Northerners into a political game. Our position has not changed: four lanes, zero excuses. We will keep working until it is done without any strings attached.”

“The Ford government already has the legislative tools to fast-track Highway 69,” said MPP West. “The Building Highways Faster Act allows them to designate a priority highway project today. In 2024, the NDP proposed exactly that, but the Conservatives voted it down. So why is new legislation suddenly necessary?

“Instead of acting, the government has buried Highway 69 in an omnibus bill alongside measures that force landfills on communities and weaken environmental protections. Highway safety should be a priority, not a political bargaining chip.”

• Author
• Recent Posts

Ontario NDP

The Ontario New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario NDP, led by Andrea Horwath since March 2009, currently forms the Official Opposition in Ontario following the 2018 general election.

Latest posts by Ontario NDP (see all)

• The North deserves twinning of Highway 69 without strings attached - November 5, 2026
• MPP Mamakwa delivers change for NW Ontario with a shift to permanent daylight savings time - October 14, 2026
• BOURGOUIN: Forestry sector supports must be expanded to include sawmills in tariff-relief financing packages - August 31, 2026