Published 11 days ago • loading... • Updated 8 days ago
Ontario Puts Highway 69 Four-Laning on the Legislative Fasttrack
The proposed law would let eligible work start sooner while keeping environmental oversight and consultation with Indigenous communities, officials said.
On Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria announced the Building Highway 69 Faster Act in Cranberry, Ont., proposing legislation to streamline environmental approvals and fast-track the 68-kilometre expansion by five years.
Of the 152-kilometre corridor connecting Sudbury and Parry Sound, 84 km has been widened to date, leaving 68 km remaining; project funding is allocated within the province's $31-billion, 10-year road construction plan.
Modeled after Highway 413 measures, the act establishes a project-specific environmental framework while crews relocate a Canadian National Railway line for a new Highway 522 interchange, with construction potentially beginning next year.
Shawanaga First Nation Chief Adam Pawis said Indigenous communities are excited to see progress, emphasizing the commitment to ensure 'this highway gets built as fast as is humanly possible.'
The government is calling on federal authorities to expedite outstanding regulatory approvals and clear watercourse crossings to avoid delays, while final project costs will be released after contractors are selected through tendering.