Ontario makes no new promises for infrastructure

The new Premier of Ontario focused on defeating the $5.6 billion deficit in his first Throne Speech delivered November 20 and did not mention specific infrastructure plans.
The following day the McGuinty government joined the federal government in announcing $336 million for 10 highway improvement projects in Ontario. However, the investment was part of a funding formula already announced in 2001 — the $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program.
Among the 10 construction projects announced were a widening of Highway 401 between Windsor and Tilbury to six lanes and several projects to be completed in Northern Ontario.These included more “four-laneing” on Highway 69 around Parry Sound, construction of a 7.3 kilometre section of Highway 17 east of Sault Ste. Marie and construction of a new 13-kilometre section of the Shabaqua Highway (11/17) west of Thunder Bay.