No. H124/04 For release December 15, 2004 GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND ONTARIO WIDEN QEW TO REDUCE CONGESTION ST. CATHARINES - The Governments of Canada and Ontario are working together to reduce congestion on the QEW through the Niagara region. The announcement was made today by Walt Lastewka, MP for St. Catharines, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre, together with Ontario Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar. The total cost of the project is estimated at $82.5 million, to be shared equally by the Governments of Canada and Ontario. Work is underway on the first phase of this initiative, a $15.2-million widening of the Henley Bridges in St. Catharines, and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2007. Summer traffic has grown by over 30,000 vehicles daily or 44 per cent on the QEW over the past 10 years and is expected to increase a further 40 per cent over the next ten years. Once this initiative is complete, the QEW will be widened from four to six lanes on key sections between Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake, and from Highway 406 to the Garden City Skyway Bridge in St. Catharines to accommodate this growth. "This project will address immediate capacity needs and increasing congestion in the region, and allow for a more efficient flow of goods, services and people," said Mr. Lastewka. "It also supports Ontario's economic competitiveness by providing for safe, reliable, on-time delivery of goods and services." "Ontario is committed to a safe, efficient and integrated transportation system that supports economic prosperity," said Minister Takhar. "The QEW is an important economic corridor which carries $360 million worth of goods daily. In fact, in the summer, the QEW through St. Catharines is the busiest four-lane highway in Ontario." "The Queen Elizabeth Way is one of Canada's busiest highways," said Mr. Lapierre. "These improvement projects will help reduce bottlenecks, and are part of the Government of Canada's commitment to a transportation system that meets environmental, social and economic goals." "Ontario is pleased to be working with the federal government to improve traffic flow in the St. Catharines area," said Jim Bradley, Minister of Tourism and Recreation and MPP for St. Catharines. "Businesses, residents and visitors alike will benefit from reduced congestion on the QEW, which passes through one of Canada's busiest urban areas." The QEW, a major international trade corridor, is part of the National Highway System. The section being upgraded carries approximately 72,000 vehicles per day, of which about 17 per cent are commercial vehicles. The QEW also plays an important economic role, carrying 14 per cent of Canada's trade by truck. The Government of Canada's investment will come from the $600 million Border Infrastructure Fund, established in the 2001 budget. The fund is designed to contribute to projects that reduce border congestion, improve the flow of goods and services and expand infrastructure capacity over the medium term. Provincial funding for this project is part of the Ontario Government's investment of nearly $1 billion in highway infrastructure this year to improve safety, ease congestion and save drivers time. All projects funded under the Border Infrastructure Fund are subject to the relevant approval requirements under federal and provincial legislation, including the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Backgrounders with more information on the Border Infrastructure Fund and the QEW Border Infrastructure projects are attached. -30- Contacts: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Danna O'Brien Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto (416) 327-1815 Vera Holiad Communications, Transport Canada, Ottawa (613) 993-0055 For more information on the Government of Canada's Infrastructure programs, please visit our website at www.infrastructurecanada.gc.ca For more information on the Government of Ontario's infrastructure programs, visit MTO's website at www.mto.gov.on.ca. Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities. BACKGROUNDER BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE FUND In Budget 2001, the Government of Canada announced its intention to provide $600 million to support improved efficiency at Canada's borders. The Border Infrastructure Fund is a comprehensive approach towards sustaining and increasing the long-term safety and efficiency of the Canada-U.S. border. It encompasses physical infrastructure, intelligent transportation systems, and helps support analytical capacity which will provide decision makers with better information on border issues as they pertain to congestion. In the wake of the events of September 11, 2001, the Government of Canada renewed its commitment to public and economic security by signing a declaration for the creation of a Smart Border for the 21st century between the United States and Canada. The Smart Border Action Plan is supported by four pillars: (i) secure flow of people, (ii) secure flow of goods, (iii) secure infrastructure, and (iv) coordination and information sharing in the enforcement of these objectives. The Border Infrastructure Fund is being implemented in co-operation with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, academic and research institutes, and with partners from the public and private sectors on both sides of the border to form an integral component of the Smart Border Action Plan. The two central objectives of the Border Infrastructure Fund are to support the Smart Border Action Plan by reducing border congestion and to expand existing infrastructure capacity over the medium term to support ongoing economic growth. In fulfilling these objectives, funding is largely targeted towards major crossings, such as Windsor, Ontario; Sarnia, Ontario; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Fort Erie, Ontario; and Douglas, British Columbia. The Government of Canada makes a maximum contribution of 50 per cent towards the total eligible costs of each project. All projects are selected under the authority of the Minister of State (Infrastructure and Communities) based on the following investment criteria: mitigation of congestion; enhancement of system capacity; coordination with adjacent U.S. border facility and road access network; support of implementation of the Smart Border Action Plan; enhancement of safety and security at border crossings; and financial participation of other public and private sector partners. December 2004 BACKGROUNDER QUEEN ELIZABETH WAY BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS December 15, 2004 Queen Elizabeth Way The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), the major trade corridor linking the Greater Toronto Area to the Niagara region, is the principal transportation corridor to four international crossings (Queenston-Lewiston, Rainbow, Whirlpool and Peace Bridges) over the Niagara River to New York State. Traffic flow is frequently congested during peak periods. The QEW carries an average of 72,000 vehicles per day from Highway 406 to the Garden City Skyway - about 17 per cent are commercial vehicles. Summer traffic is significantly higher, with about 100,000 vehicles per day traveling through St. Catharines. The first contract to improve this section of the QEW involves widening the Henley Bridges across Twelve Mile Creek. Construction is underway and expected to be completed in the summer of 2007. Design work is well underway for the remaining improvements from Highway 406 to the Garden City Skyway. These will include widening the QEW from two lanes to three in each direction, constructing a concrete median barrier, adding drainage capacity, replacing two underpasses and widening four overpasses. Noise walls will be installed in residential areas, and paved shoulders and lighting will also be added. In May 2004 the governments of Canada and Ontario signed an agreement to share equally in the estimated $82.5 million cost of the QEW widening from four to six lanes between Hwy 406 and the Garden City Skyway Bridge in St. Catharines. The cost sharing agreement between the governments of Canada and Ontario also included the cost of the QEW widening from Mountain Road in Niagara Falls to west of Glendale Avenue in Niagara-on-the-Lake, estimated at $31.5 million. Construction on the Mountain Road to Glendale Avenue project began in the summer of 2003 and is expected to be completed in 2007. These two projects will reduce congestion and improve safety on the QEW, and improve truck traffic flow heading to the border. - 30 - Contact: Bob Nichols Ministry of Transportation (416) 327-1158 Disponible en français
