Ontario Conservative Budget 2022 – If Re-Elected

On April 28, 2022 the Ford government released Ontario Budget 2022. Budget 2022 largely forms the Ontario PC’s election platform. CHG’s own William Norman has identified where the bulk of new spending will be in Ontario, broken down geographically. Find out what another Ford Government mandate would mean for your region if re-elected on June 2, 2022.

Halton Region

  • Highway 413, a new 400‐series highway and transit corridor across Halton, Peel and York regions to support the movement of goods and save drivers up to 30 minutes on their commute, as well as bring relief to the most congested corridor in North America;

Peel Region

  • Highway 413, a new 400‐series highway and transit corridor across Halton, Peel and York regions to support the movement of goods and save drivers up to 30 minutes on their commute, as well as bring relief to the most congested corridor in North America;

York Region

  • Highway 413, a new 400‐series highway and transit corridor across Halton, Peel and York regions to support the movement of goods and save drivers up to 30 minutes on their commute, as well as bring relief to the most congested corridor in North America;
  • The Bradford Bypass, a new four‐lane freeway connecting Highway 400 and Highway 404 in Simcoe County and York Region that is expected to ease gridlock on Highway 400 and local roads, and save commuters up to 35 minutes per trip as compared to existing routes along local roads;
  • In York Region, Ontario is moving forward with building a TOC at the future Bridge and High Tech Stations creating tens of thousands of new jobs, approximately 40,000 housing units and bringing community amenities closer to transit; 
  • The government is investing $24 million for the planning and construction of the Holland Marsh Phosphorus Recycling Facility in York Region. The facility will help treat phosphorus runoff from a 7,000‐acre area, with the aim of reducing phosphorus levels from the marsh entering Lake Simcoe by up to 40 per cent;

Simcoe County

  • The Bradford Bypass, a new four‐lane freeway connecting Highway 400 and Highway 404 in Simcoe County and York Region that is expected to ease gridlock on Highway 400 and local roads, and save commuters up to 35 minutes per trip as compared to existing routes along local roads;
  • Support for the Stevenson Memorial Hospital redevelopment to modernize facilities, support service delivery and respond to future population growth in Simcoe County;  

Bradford

  • The Bradford Bypass, a new four‐lane freeway connecting Highway 400 and Highway 404 in Simcoe County and York Region is expected to ease gridlock on Highway 400 and local roads, and save commuters up to 35 minutes per trip as compared to existing routes along local roads;

St. Catharines

  • The QEW Garden City Skyway rehabilitation project, which will include a new twin bridge over the Welland Canal connecting St. Catharines to Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake. This work will keep traffic moving on this strategic trade and economic corridor that links international border crossings with the Greater Golden Horseshoe
  • Construction is underway for the Linhaven Long-Term Care Home project to build 13 new long-term care beds and upgrade 226 long-term care beds in St. Catharines.

Niagara On the Lake

  • The QEW Garden City Skyway rehabilitation project, which will include a new twin bridge over the Welland Canal connecting St. Catharines to Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake. This work will keep traffic moving on this strategic trade and economic corridor that links international border crossings with the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Oshawa

  • Early works in Oshawa and Port Hope, as the first step to enable future widening of Highway 401 to relieve congestion starting at Brock Road in Pickering and through Eastern Ontario;  
  • The Bowmanville GO Rail Extension, which will expand GO Transit rail services from Oshawa into Bowmanville on the Lakeshore East corridor and help reduce gridlock;  
  • More than $2 billion by General Motors to transform the company’s Oshawa and Ingersoll manufacturing facilities to deliver the company’s next generation of vehicles, including new all‐electric commercial vehicles, with the Ontario government providing up to $259 million in grant support and the Government of Canada making a matching contribution
  • Bridge replacements over Highway 401 at Wilson Rd, Albert St and Simcoe St in Oshawa.

Port Hope

  • Early works in Oshawa and Port Hope, as the first step to enable future widening of Highway 401 to relieve congestion starting at Brock Road in Pickering and through Eastern Ontario;
  • Replacements of the Choate Road Bridge and Ganaraska Bridge on Highway 401 in Port Hope.

Pickering

  • Early works in Oshawa and Port Hope, as the first step to enable future widening of Highway 401 to relieve congestion starting at Brock Road in Pickering and through Eastern Ontario;    
  • Investing $21 billion, including about $14 billion in capital grants over the next 10 years, to support the renewal and expansion of school infrastructure and child care projects, including the new Seaton Public and Catholic elementary schools in Pickering
  • Replacing the Altona Bridge on the Uxbridge‐Pickering Townline Road over Duffins Creek;

Guelph

  • Continuing the next phase of construction for the new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph, which will provide relief to the gridlocked Highway 401 and connect the fast‐growing urban centres of Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph;
  • To improve emergency health services, Ontario is investing $7 million in 2022–23 to support the Dedicated Offload Nursing program. This investment will also support expansion of the program into other communities and regions including Guelph, Sault Ste. Marie and Muskoka.  
  • The St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph expansion project will build 160 new long-term care beds in Guelph

Kitchener-Waterloo

  • Continuing the next phase of construction for the new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph, which will provide relief to the gridlocked Highway 401 and connect the fast‐growing urban centres of Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph;
  • Funding for the planning of the Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital Joint Redevelopment Project to construct a new joint acute care facility and expand to existing facilities in the Kitchener‐Waterloo region;
  • Rehabilitation of the West Montrose Covered Bridge in the Region of Waterloo, a locally and nationally designated Heritage Bridge, to improve access to pedestrians, cyclists, horses and buggies, and small vehicles.

Arnprior

  • Widening of Highway 17 from Arnprior to Renfrew to four lanes, which will increase capacity as well as enhance road safety for travellers by separating opposing traffic and providing additional passing opportunities;   

Renfrew

  • Widening of Highway 17 from Arnprior to Renfrew to four lanes, which will increase capacity as well as enhance road safety for travellers by separating opposing traffic and providing additional passing opportunities;   

Timmins

  • The Timmins Connecting Link to reconstruct an approximately 21.4‐kilometre stretch of Highway 101, which is one of the longest connecting links in Ontario and used by 25,000 vehicles per day.
  • Renovating a re-purposed school building to address community needs at the YMCA of Timmins in the City of Timmins and improve access, inclusion and engagement.
  • Centre de Santé Communautaire de Timmins – Building a new Francophone community health centre to consolidate primary care, nursing, and mental health and addictions services in one modern facility.
  • The Golden Manor project will build 15 new long-term care beds and upgrade 177 long-term care beds in Timmins.

Toronto

  • Breaking ground on the Ontario Line, which will provide rapid transit between Exhibition/Ontario Place and the Ontario Science Centre, connecting more than 40 other transit routes, including GO train lines, existing Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway and streetcar lines, and the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit line;
  • The London GO Rail Service, which will provide weekday GO train trips between London and Union Station in Toronto;
  • Planning and design work for a connection of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension to Toronto Pearson International Airport, to establish connectivity of the line to the airport and one of Ontario’s largest economic and employment zones;
  • Advancing planning work for the Sheppard Subway Extension that will connect the existing terminus at Don Mills Station (TTC’s Line 4) with the future Scarborough Subway Extension, delivering smarter, better and faster transit; and
  • Building four new long‐term care homes in Mississauga, Ajax and Toronto under the Long‐Term Care Accelerated Build Pilot
  • $10 million in 2022–23 to maintain the Infrastructure Talent Accelerator grant, which helps apprentices participating in the in‐demand trades train to help build historic infrastructure projects, such as the Ontario Line Subway Project and Scarborough Subway Extension.
  • Rehabilitation and replacement of bridges and resurfacing on Highway 401 eastbound collector lanes for 10.5 km from Avenue Rd to Warden Ave in Toronto.
  • In February 2022, Ontario released the draft Environmental Project Report Addendum for the Yonge North Subway Extension. The report builds off previous environmental studies and also reveals new details about the footprints of all four confirmed stations — Steeles, Clark, Bridge and High Tech — plus the two potential stations, Cummer and Royal Orchard, that may be added to the project.
  • The Ontario government has signed an agreement with a private partner to build a TOC at the future East Harbour Transit Hub. The 38‐acre site would include the creation of a major employment centre, and is expected to create up to 50,000 jobs as well as thousands of housing units in the area.
  • Nearly $1.2 billion in support is also being provided through the Social Services Relief Fund, one of the biggest investments in supportive housing and homelessness supports in Ontario’s history. Supportive housing remains an important shared priority for both the province and municipalities, including the City of Toronto, that requires ongoing collaboration.
  • The redevelopment of Ontario Place is expected to create more than 5,000 construction jobs and staff positions once the attractions open to the public, with approximately five million visitors expected annually.
  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Bayview Campus to build a new critical care and complex malignant hematology tower to add new ICU beds and modernize surgical inpatient units;  
  • North York General Hospital Phase I Redevelopment – Construction of a new inpatient care tower and renovations at the North York General Hospital site to address projected growth in acute care programs
  • Unity Health Toronto – St. Joseph’s Health Centre – Major Redevelopment Project – Construction of a new clinical services tower and expansions to the medical and surgical inpatient programs to expand integrated health care services and reduce wait times
  • In support of Ontario’s strategy to enhance surgical capacity, the government is investing to expand the scope of this project from the redevelopment of existing surgical facilities to the construction of a new 12‐storey tower with approximately 90 net new beds and 20 new operating rooms. Surgical centres, like the Toronto Western Hospital Surgical Tower, can play a critical role in clearing the long‐standing backlog in Ontario’s health care system that was made worse by the COVID‐19 pandemic.
  • Construction is underway for the Runnymede LongTerm Care Home to build 200 new long-term care beds in Toronto

Bowmanville

  • The Bowmanville GO Rail Extension, which will expand GO Transit rail services from Oshawa into Bowmanville on the Lakeshore East corridor and help reduce gridlock;  
  • Lakeridge Health – Bowmanville Redevelopment project to renew infrastructure and renovate the existing facility to accommodate a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and expand acute inpatient care, emergency, critical care and rehabilitation services;  

London

  • The London GO Rail Service, which will provide weekday GO train trips between London and Union Station in Toronto;
  • In April 2022, Ontario prioritized Hydro One’s work to build transmission lines to address growing electricity demand in the region, driven by growth in the electric vehicle, battery manufacturing and greenhouse sectors. These new transmission lines will supply more clean electricity to the region, create jobs and partnerships for Indigenous communities, and further support economic growth in this part of the province. The transmission projects between London, Windsor and Sarnia represent an investment of more than $1 billion and are proposed to be developed in phases through 2030.  
  • To further enable people to live and work in their communities, the OPS is designing, testing and implementing touchdown coworking spaces for workers in North York, Hamilton, London, Sudbury and Ottawa, and will look to expand this to other regional locations to support the future of work as needed
  • Upgrades to Labatt Park in the City of London for improved accessibility, fan safety and playability for the local neighbourhood.

Brampton

  • Transformation of the existing site and urgent care centre into a new 24/7 inpatient care hospital at Peel Memorial, in partnership with William Osler Health System. This will enable future development of an emergency department and meet the growth needs of one of Ontario’s fastest growing communities; 
  • Accessibility and efficiency upgrades to The Rose, a performing arts theatre in the City of Brampton, will improve access for all users and improve facility operations.
  • To strengthen Ontario’s health care system across the province, the government is investing $42.5 million over two years beginning in 2023–24 to support the expansion of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in Ontario. This expansion will result in an increase of 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions over the next five years.   All medical schools across Ontario will benefit from this expansion, including…the Ryerson School of Medicine in Brampton when it becomes operational. These investments will help recruit future health care workers and support improved care for underserved areas of the province.
  • William Osler Health System – Brampton Civic Hospital to increase cancer treatment capacity in Peel Region making it easier to access high‐quality cancer treatment closer to home;

Ottawa

  • Support for the redevelopment of the existing hospital and regional trauma centre on a new site for the Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus to expand access to programs and services as well as meet bed capacity needs
  • To further enable people to live and work in their communities, the OPS is designing, testing and implementing touchdown coworking spaces for workers in North York, Hamilton, London, Sudbury and Ottawa, and will look to expand this to other regional locations to support the future of work as needed
  • Rehabilitation of five bridges on Highway 417 from Ottawa Rd 174 to Walkley Rd in Ottawa.
  • Carlington Community Health Centre – Expansion Project – Renovations to existing facility and fit-up of adjacent new facility to expand the centre’s services and create a community health hub in Ottawa.

Windsor-Essex

  • Support for a new state‐of‐the‐art acute care hospital in Windsor and Essex County to add more hospital beds and expand services in the region;
  • In April 2022, Ontario prioritized Hydro One’s work to build transmission lines to address growing electricity demand in the region, driven by growth in the electric vehicle, battery manufacturing and greenhouse sectors. These new transmission lines will supply more clean electricity to the region, create jobs and partnerships for Indigenous communities, and further support economic growth in this part of the province. The transmission projects between London, Windsor and Sarnia represent an investment of more than $1 billion and are proposed to be developed in phases through 2030.  
  • Over $5 billion for a joint investment between LG Energy Solution and Stellantis to build the province’s first large‐scale EV battery manufacturing plant in Windsor, supported by Ontario, along with municipal and federal governments.
  • In February 2022, Ontario invested $1.5 million through the Regional Development Program to support an $18.5 million investment by auto parts manufacturer Ventra Group to create the Flex‐Ion Battery Innovation Centre in Windsor
  • Creation of a new media arts centre in the City of Windsor by renovating a historic downtown church to provide more space for accessible, community-based and comprehensive media arts programming for residents of all ages

Huntsville

  • Funding for the redevelopment of acute care hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge to improve community services and access to diagnostic imaging; 

Bracebridge

  • Funding for the redevelopment of acute care hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge to improve community services and access to diagnostic imaging; 

Thunder Bay

  • Support to expand the cardiovascular surgery program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre to address surgical wait times and improve access to lifesaving care;  
  • Widening Highway 11/17 from two to four lanes between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, including two new bridges over Pearl River.
  • $171 million provided to refurbish 94 GO Transit bi‐level rail coaches that will support 200 manufacturing jobs at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay. The refurbished rail coaches will provide Metrolinx with the rail fleet required to support GO Transit expansion.  
  • To strengthen Ontario’s health care system across the province, the government is investing $42.5 million over two years beginning in 2023–24 to support the expansion of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in Ontario. This expansion will result in an increase of 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions over the next five years.   All medical schools across Ontario will benefit from this expansion, including…the Northern Ontario School of Medicine,

Mississauga

  • Funding to support the single largest hospital infrastructure investment through the Trillium Health Partners – Broader Redevelopment project to build a new, state‐of‐the‐art Mississauga Hospital and expand the Queensway Health Centre;  
  • Building four new long‐term care homes in Mississauga, Ajax and Toronto under the Long‐Term Care Accelerated Build Pilot
  • Construction of a new interchange, replacement and rehabilitation of bridges and culverts on Highway 427 and QEW from Cawthra Rd to Dixie Rd in Mississauga.
  • Ontario is also proceeding with planning and design work for an extension of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension to the Toronto Pearson International Airport. This extension would bring even more rapid transit service into Mississauga and establish additional connectivity to one of the province’s largest economic and employment hubs.
  • In March 2022, local transit was made free for riders connecting to and from GO Transit on municipal transit systems with existing GO Transit co‐fare agreements. This means that a Mississauga adult who commutes back and forth using MiWay and GO Transit three days a week could save $250 annually on transit expenses.

Uxbridge

  • Continued support for the construction of a new, modern hospital facility on the existing Uxbridge site at the Oak Valley Health – Uxbridge Hospital to replace the current aged building, and enable the expansion of specialized outpatient clinics as well as the creation of a community health hub with long‐term care services; 

Chatham-Kent

  • Construction of new diagnostic imaging, laboratory and emergency departments at the Wallaceburg Sydenham Hospital, part of the Chatham‐Kent Health Alliance, to modernize service delivery;
  • Through Phase 1 and 2 of Ontario’s Natural Gas Expansion Program, more than $360 million was allocated to expand access to families and businesses in 59 communities across the province. DFor Phase 1, it is estimated that families can save up to $1,500 per year in energy costs by switching to natural gas. Additionally, this program has also supported economic development projects, which have the potential to create up to 1,400 new jobs in the greenhouse industry in Chatham‐Kent in Phase 1

Scarborough

  • Expansion of the Scarborough Health Network – Birchmount site with a new inpatient tower and an expanded emergency department to reduce wait times, improve patient flow and update aging infrastructure.
  • $10 million in 2022–23 to maintain the Infrastructure Talent Accelerator grant, which helps apprentices participating in the in‐demand trades train to help build historic infrastructure projects, such as the Ontario Line Subway Project and Scarborough Subway Extension.
  • To strengthen Ontario’s health care system across the province, the government is investing $42.5 million over two years beginning in 2023–24 to support the expansion of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in Ontario. This expansion will result in an increase of 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions over the next five years.   All medical schools across Ontario will benefit from this expansion, including…the new University of Toronto’s Scarborough Academy of Medicine

Ajax

  • Building four new long‐term care homes in Mississauga, Ajax and Toronto under the Long‐Term Care Accelerated Build Pilot

Keewatin

  • Investing $21 billion, including about $14 billion in capital grants over the next 10 years, to support the renewal and expansion of school infrastructure and child care projects, including…child care spaces as part of the St. Louis School in Keewatin

Marten Falls First Nation

  • To support the construction of all‐season roads, the government approved the provincial Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Marten Falls First Nation Community Access Road and Webequie First Nation Supply Road projects in October 2021.

Webequie First Nation

  • To support the construction of all‐season roads, the government approved the provincial Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Marten Falls First Nation Community Access Road and Webequie First Nation Supply Road projects in October 2021.

Southwestern Ontario

  • This is why the government has released Ontario’s Low‐Carbon Hydrogen Strategy, proposed the creation of a clean energy credit registry, supported Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and is accelerating electricity transmission projects in Southwestern Ontario. The government has a plan to power Ontario for the future
  • Investing more than $63 million in the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) project to bring high‐speed internet to 63,000 more homes, businesses and farms across Southwestern Ontario.

Niagara Falls

  • The government is supporting a proposal from Atura Power, an Ontario Power Generation (OPG) subsidiary, for the province’s largest low‐carbon hydrogen production facility, in Niagara Falls, through a 10‐year regulatory exemption to the Gross Revenue Charge for electricity generated at OPG’s Sir Adam Beck 2 Generating Station used specifically for hydrogen production.  
  • Niagara Falls is a premier international tourism destination that was heavily impacted by the COVID‐19 pandemic. The government is committed to working with impacted sectors and the region to recover to pre‐pandemic tourism levels and beyond. Development in the region will play to Niagara’s competitive advantages, diversify the tourist experience, and offer unique reasons to visit and extend stays.
  • The Niagara GO Rail Extension: The government continues to work with rail partners on a solution to deliver increased service between Union Station and Niagara Region sooner and at a lower cost to taxpayers.  

Sarnia

  • In April 2022, Ontario prioritized Hydro One’s work to build transmission lines to address growing electricity demand in the region, driven by growth in the electric vehicle, battery manufacturing and greenhouse sectors. These new transmission lines will supply more clean electricity to the region, create jobs and partnerships for Indigenous communities, and further support economic growth in this part of the province. The transmission projects between London, Windsor and Sarnia represent an investment of more than $1 billion and are proposed to be developed in phases through 2030.  
  • Bridge replacement on Highway 40 at CN Railway in Sarnia

Hamilton

  • Through Phase 1 and 2 of Ontario’s Natural Gas Expansion Program, more than $360 million was allocated to expand access to families and businesses in 59 communities across the province. DFor Phase 1, it is estimated that families can save up to $1,500 per year in energy costs by switching to natural gas. Additionally, this program has also supported economic development projects, which have the potential to create up to 1,400 new jobs in the greenhouse industry in Chatham‐Kent in Phase 1, and approximately 5,000 jobs in two expansion projects, the Grimsby‐Lincoln project and the and Hamilton Airport Regional Expansion project, via Phase 2.
  • In February 2022, Ontario announced it would contribute up to $500 million in support for ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s $1.8 billion investment in Hamilton to replace its coal‐fed coke ovens and blast furnaces with new, low‐emission technology. The project will move the facility to a hydrogen‐ ready direct reduced iron fed electric arc furnace, targeted for completion by 2028, to support the livelihoods of 4,600 people working at the facility. ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s investment will also significantly lower the carbon footprint of the facility and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by about three million tonnes annually.
  • Widening Highway 6 in Hamilton to double capacity from two to four lanes over a nine‐kilometre segment between Highway 403 and Upper James Street. The government is moving forward with a Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Update Study that will include outreach to Indigenous communities, municipalities and stakeholders, including the airport and business owners.
  • The new ferry for the Simcoe Island community will ensure residents have easier and more frequent access to the island, allowing up to three times more vehicles than the current ferry, and accommodating larger service vehicles, such as fire trucks and vehicles for maintaining roads and infrastructure. The ferry will be built by Heddle Shipyards in Hamilton and will support the local shipbuilding industry and good‐paying local jobs during construction.

Grimsby

  • Through Phase 1 and 2 of Ontario’s Natural Gas Expansion Program, more than $360 million was allocated to expand access to families and businesses in 59 communities across the province. DFor Phase 1, it is estimated that families can save up to $1,500 per year in energy costs by switching to natural gas. Additionally, this program has also supported economic development projects, which have the potential to create up to 1,400 new jobs in the greenhouse industry in Chatham‐Kent in Phase 1, and approximately 5,000 jobs in two expansion projects, the Grimsby‐Lincoln project and the and Hamilton Airport Regional Expansion project, via Phase 2.

Lincoln

  • Through Phase 1 and 2 of Ontario’s Natural Gas Expansion Program, more than $360 million was allocated to expand access to families and businesses in 59 communities across the province. DFor Phase 1, it is estimated that families can save up to $1,500 per year in energy costs by switching to natural gas. Additionally, this program has also supported economic development projects, which have the potential to create up to..approximately 5,000 jobs in two expansion projects, the Grimsby‐Lincoln project and the and Hamilton Airport Regional Expansion project, via Phase 2.

Oakville

  • $1.8 billion in commitments from Ford to produce battery EVs and five new EV models at its Oakville assembly complex, with the Ontario government providing $295 million in support and the federal government making a matching contribution. 
  • Schlegel Villages will build 640 new long-term care beds in Oakville using government surplus lands

Alliston

  • Almost $1.4 billion from Honda to upgrade and retool its plants in Alliston and begin manufacturing hybrid models, with the Ontario government providing $131.6 million in grant support and the Government of Canada making a matching contribution.  
  • Stevenson Memorial Hospital – Phase 1 Redevelopment project to renovate the existing site to increase bed complements and modernize emergency, diagnostic and surgical services;

Cobalt

  • the government invested $250,000 to support the development of two new battery production lines at the Electra Battery Materials Corporation’s future Battery Materials Park near Cobalt

Sudbury

  • To further enable people to live and work in their communities, the OPS is designing, testing and implementing touchdown coworking spaces for workers in North York, Hamilton, London, Sudbury and Ottawa, and will look to expand this to other regional locations to support the future of work as needed
  • Construction is underway for the Extendicare Sudbury project to upgrade 256 long-term care beds.

Northern Ontario

  • Improving connectivity in Northern Ontario, including $10.9 million to bring faster internet connections to several First Nation and Northern communities.  
  • In January 2022, the government established a local task force in Northern Ontario that will focus on transportation needs and opportunities in the region. The Northern Task Force, made up of community‐based leaders, will examine ways to make it easier for people and goods to travel, while boosting economic growth in the North. The task force includes mayors, Indigenous leadership and experts in the North who are working towards improving transportation infrastructure and services across Northern Ontario. This membership will ensure the approach to transportation planning in Northern Ontario is reflective of the diverse voices within the community and will inform the government of the most important local needs.
  • Bringing back passenger rail service is at the forefront of the government’s plan to secure a prosperous and healthy future for Northern Ontario. In November 2021, Ontario named Timmins — one of the largest municipalities in Northern Ontario and a major employment hub — as the terminus station for the Northeastern Passenger Rail Service. The government has also identified a preferred route that includes a rail connection to Cochrane.
  • People living in Northern Ontario can have a higher cost of living due, in part, to greater reliance on air travel and air freight. This is why the government reduced the aviation fuel tax rate for purchases in the North to 2.7 cents per litre from 6.7 cents per litre, as of January 1, 2020. This reduced rate is the same as the rate in effect in 2014.  

Sault Ste Marie

  • To improve emergency health services, Ontario is investing $7 million in 2022–23 to support the Dedicated Offload Nursing program. This investment will also support expansion of the program into other communities and regions including Sault Ste. Marie

Belleville

  • Work to expand Highway 401 includes: · Land acquisitions to facilitate future widening of Highway 401 through Belleville and Brockville
  • Widening of Bell Boulevard in Belleville from two to four lanes

Brockville

  • Work to expand Highway 401 includes: · Land acquisitions to facilitate future widening of Highway 401 through Belleville and Brockville

Leamington

  • Widening Highway 3 from two to four lanes for 15.6 kilometres between the Towns of Essex and  Leamington. As many as 17,300 vehicles travel between Essex and Leamington each day, making Highway 3 a critical link in Southwestern Ontario that provides both regional and international connectivity. The Ontario government has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to design, build and finance the next stage of the Highway 3 expansion project. The successful bidder is expected to be announced in fall 2022.

Britt

  • Widening from two to four lanes on Highway 69 north of the north junction of Highway 529 for 20.4 km in Britt.

Pointe au Baril

  • Construction of a new bridge, new culvert and widening from two to four lanes on Highway 69 north of the south junction of Highway 529 for 15 km in Pointe au Baril.

Cochrane

  • Extension of Highway 652 (Cochrane Bypass) from Genier Rd to Highway 11 for 4.5 km in Cochrane.

Shuniah

  • Widening from two to four lanes on Highway 11/17 from Highway 587 east to Pearl Lake including new Pearl River bridges for 14 km in Shuniah.

Oxford County

  • Resurfacing of Highway 401 from Dundas St to Drumbo Rd for 12.2 km in Oxford County.

Tiverton

  • Resurfacing of Highway 21 from McLaren St in Tiverton for 22 km to Port Elgin.

Port Elgin

  • Resurfacing of Highway 21 from McLaren St in Tiverton for 22 km to Port Elgin.

Brantford

  • Interchange improvements on Highway 403 at the Wayne Gretzky Parkway in Brantford.

Kingston

  • Upgrades on Highway 401 from ONroute Odessa to John F. Scott Rd for 20 km and at the Wolfe Island docks in Kingston.
  • Ontario is launching three new ferries for Simcoe, Wolfe and Amherst Islands that will drive economic growth and bolster local employment. In September 2021, the Wolfe Islander IV and the Amherst Islander II arrived in Canada. These new electric ferries are expected to be in service in late June 2022.
  • To strengthen Ontario’s health care system across the province, the government is investing $42.5 million over two years beginning in 2023–24 to support the expansion of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in Ontario. This expansion will result in an increase of 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions over the next five years.   All medical schools across Ontario will benefit from this expansion, including the Queen’s University School of Medicine
  • Kingston Health Sciences Centre – Redevelopment Project – Redevelopment of the Kingston General Hospital and regional trauma centre to accommodate inpatient, surgical and emergency department growth.

Lennox and Addington

  • Resurfacing of Highway 33 from Bath to County Rd 4 in Millhaven for 2 km in Lennox and Addington.

Peterborough

  • Rehabilitation and replacement of culverts on Highway 115 from Durham Region-Peterborough County boundary to Highway 7A for 19 km in Peterborough.

Orillia

  • Bridge replacement on Highway 11 at West St in Orillia.

Barrie

  • Bridge replacement and interchange improvements at the Highway 400 Essa Rd overpass in Barrie.

Kenora

  • Twinning Highway 17 between the Manitoba border and Kenora. In November 2021, the government signed two contracts with Indigenous partners for early works to produce the raw materials needed to build the road base and for clearing work for the first section of the Highway 17 twinning project. Construction is expected to start in May 2022 and be complete in summer 2024. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) continues to work with property owners, municipalities, and First Nations and Métis communities on this project.

French River

  • Opening of a 14‐kilometre expansion of Highway 69 in the French River area. The new lanes on Highway 69 extend from north of Highway 522 to north of Highway 607. This section is part of work to widen Highway 69 from Parry Sound to Sudbury

North Bay

  • Improving road safety and traffic flow by identifying potential locations for a 2+1 highway pilot on  Highway 11 north of North Bay — the first‐ever in North America. A 2+1 highway is a three‐lane highway with a centre passing lane that changes directions approximately every two to five kilometres, separated by a barrier
  • Ontario is supporting ongoing service expansion across the GO rail network as well as bolstering economic growth in Northwestern Ontario by providing $109 million to refurbish 56 GO Transit   bi‐level rail coaches at the Ontario Northland Remanufacturing and Repair Centre in North Bay.
  • The Northern Heights Care Community project will build 12 new long-term care beds and upgrade 148 longterm care beds in North Bay.

Nipigon

  • Widening Highway 11/17 from two to four lanes between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, including two new bridges over Pearl River.

St. Mary’s

  • In October 2021, Metrolinx launched a pilot project to provide weekday GO train trips between London and Union Station in Toronto. The new service extends beyond GO Transit’s Kitchener Line and includes stops in St. Marys and Stratford. Ontario is proceeding with planning work and investments for track improvements to support implementation of faster and more frequent service between London and Union Station in Toronto.

Stratford

  • In October 2021, Metrolinx launched a pilot project to provide weekday GO train trips between London and Union Station in Toronto. The new service extends beyond GO Transit’s Kitchener Line and includes stops in St. Marys and Stratford. Ontario is proceeding with planning work and investments for track improvements to support implementation of faster and more frequent service between London and Union Station in Toronto.

Township of Assiginack

  • Providing a reliable and safe source of drinking water in the Township of Assiginack by retrofitting the Manitowaning and Sunsite Estates water treatment plants with a modern ultrafiltration system

Saugeen Shores

  • Upgrading watermain infrastructure along Beach Street in the Town of Saugeen Shores.

Township of James

  • Addition of a roof to an outdoor rink in the Township of James to reduce service interruption due to poor weather and provide more activities throughout the year.

Mishkeegogamang First Nation

  • Upgrades to the Osnaburgh water treatment plant in Mishkeegogamang First Nation to improve access to clean, reliable drinking water, water services and fire protection.

South Frontenac

  • Rehabilitation of the Frontenac Community Arena in the Township of South Frontenac will reduce service disruptions and allow for greater community use.

Hiawatha First Nation

  • Rehabilitation and upgrade of communal drinking water systems in Hiawatha First Nation to expand availability of potable water.

Prescott

  • Construction of a multi-use recreational complex in Prescott to provide a venue for multiple generations with access to a broad range of social and recreational activities.

Durham

  • Protecting the health of residents of the Region of Durham by retrofitting health facilities and purchasing two hybrid ambulances
  • The government is providing the people and businesses of Durham Region with more travel options, while helping them keep their hard‐earned money in their pockets, by permanently removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418.

Whitby

  • Renovation and optimization of the Whitby Civic Recreation Complex in the Town of Whitby, to improve the quality and accessibility of aquatic programs, particularly for families with young children, seniors and individuals with disabilities. 

Newmarket

  • Southlake Regional Health Centre – Phased Redevelopment Project to build a new acute care hospital and expand the existing Newmarket site to accommodate ambulatory care services;  

Innisfil

  • The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre – Phased Redevelopment Project to build a new facility at the South Campus in Innisfil with an ambulatory care centre and urgent care services;

Brant

  • Brant Community Healthcare System facilities in Paris and Brantford to increase bed capacity in Southwestern Ontario and accommodate new inpatient and intensive care units.

Moosonee

  • Weeneebayko Area Health Authority – Health Campus of Care – New culturally appropriate health campus that will include a new hospital and a lodge in Moosonee, as well as a new ambulatory care centre on Moose Factory Island.

Middlesex

  • Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Middlesex Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Centre Project – Renovations to create a new 10-bed mental health crisis centre to divert patients from acute care hospital emergency departments and to provide more appropriate community care for people in crisis.

West Lincoln

  • West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Redevelopment Project – A new hospital building on the existing site with emergency care, inpatient, maternal and newborn services and day surgery.

Kincardine

  • South Bruce Grey Health Centre – Kincardine Site Phase 1 Redevelopment Project – Expansion of the diagnostic imaging department to add a new computed tomography scanner to bring care closer to home.

Picton

  • Quinte Health Care – Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Redevelopment Project – Replacement of the existing hospital on the Picton site with a new facility to meet increasing demand for health services in the area.

Temiskaming Shores

  • Construction is underway for the Temiskaming Lodge project to build 46 new long-term care beds and upgrade 82 long-term care beds in Temiskaming Shores.

Carleton Place

  • Construction is underway for the Stoneridge Manor project to build 68 new long-term care beds and upgrade 60 long-term care beds in Carleton Place

Cobourg

  • Construction is underway for the Golden Plough Lodge Redevelopment project to build 29 new long-term care beds and upgrade 151 long-term care beds in Cobourg

Mitchell

  • Construction is underway for the Ritz Lutheran Villa project to upgrade 128 long-term care beds in Mitchell.

Fort Erie

  • Construction is underway for the Gilmore Lodge project to upgrade 160 long-term care beds in Fort Erie

Welland

  • The Royal Rose Place expansion opened in March 2022 with 64 new long-term care beds in Welland.

Midland

  • The Villa Care Centre opened in March 2022 with 51 new long-term care beds and 109 upgraded long-term care beds in Midland.

Whitchurch-Stouffville

  • The Mon Sheong Stouffville Long-Term Care Centre opened in October 2021 with 320 new long-term care beds in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

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