Johnson Township, Ontario, July 25, 2013 – Families and businesses in the Algoma District will soon benefit from major improvements to Highway 17, thanks to a joint funding initiative announced today by the governments of Canada and Ontario.
Over 17 kilometres of existing two-lane highway will be rehabilitated to improve pavement quality and create a safer and smoother ride for motorists. The stretch of roadway starts one kilometre east of the junction of highways 17 and 548 and continues eastward toward Bruce Mines.
"Our government is proud to invest in these improvements that will create jobs, reduce future maintenance costs and provide safer travel for local residents and businesses,"
said Bryan Hayes, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. "Ontario highways play a vital role in supporting our economy. Highway 17 is an important economic link across Northern Ontario, connecting workers with jobs, products with markets and travellers with destinations."
"This stretch of the TransCanada Highway is a vital link for residents and industry right across Northern Ontario,"
said Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure. "We are pleased to be supporting this initiative and we look forward to collaborating with the federal government on more projects in the future."
The Government of Canada is contributing up to $6.15 million through the Building Canada Fund — Major Infrastructure Component for this project, while the Government of Ontario will also provide $6.15 million, for a total project cost of $12.3 million.
The Building Canada Fund — Major Infrastructure Component provides funding for major infrastructure projects that contribute, among other things, to cultural, economic, community recreation and tourism development. Federal funding is subject to the project meeting all federal eligibility requirements of the Building Canada Fund and the signing of a contribution agreement for the project.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a New Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than one million net new jobs created since July 2009. The New Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, will support Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
These investments support Building Together, the Province of Ontario's long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province's roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses. Since 2003, Ontario has invested approximately $85 billion in infrastructure. Building modern, efficient infrastructure has created or preserved close to 100,000 jobs each year, on average, making Ontario's economy more productive and improving quality of life, now and in the future.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure.
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
Patrick Searle
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure for Ontario
416-327-1815
