PEMBROKE — The County of Renfrew is disappointed that the extension of highway 417 from Scheel Drive to the Town of Renfrew has not been included in the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) newly-released 5-year capital plan.
The County of Renfrew first presented a proposal to extend highway 417 in February 2008. After completing further research, the county submitted a formal request to the Government of Ontario to accelerate the extension of highway 417 west of Arnprior in June 2012. In response to this request, then Minister of Transportation, Hon. Bob Chiarelli, directed the county to develop a business case demonstrating the need to accelerate the highway extension.
Following the development of the first business case in June 2013, elected officials and staff from the region met with two successive Ministers of Transportation (Hon. Glen Murray & Hon. Steven Del Duca) and their staff. The County of Renfrew also met with government officials in Ottawa, Toronto and locally to highlight the major benefits of this project. These benefits include helping reduce strain on the highways around Toronto, improving road safety, enhancing regional capacity, and unlocking positive regional economic development across Eastern and Northern Ontario.
Despite the county’s extensive efforts to highlight the benefits of this project with both the provincial and federal governments, the proposal remains unfunded. The Region is committed to keep working with local, provincial and federal partners to ensure that this important infrastructure investment is made as soon as possible.
“We are obviously very disappointed by this decision. The County of Renfrew remains strongly committed to this project as it will transform the regions along the important trade route across the north of the province from Sudbury to Ottawa. We will continue to work with the Government of Ontario, and the Government of Canada in the coming months to ensure we move this important project forward,” said Warden of the County of Renfrew Peter Emon.
