In an announcement made today in Thunder Bay by Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation and Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines the province will be building four new rest areas and repairing or expanding 10 existing facilities along provincial highways. The new amenities will include more bathrooms, improved lighting and increased parking.
“In these extraordinary times, we recognize that there is a significant need for better facilities at rest areas in Northern Ontario for our province’s travellers and truck drivers,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Building more rest areas with better facilities will make travelling safer and more comfortable, especially for those who need to drive long distances. Through these improvements we are also taking steps to raise awareness of human trafficking to help put an end to this serious problem.”
Provincial highways in Northern Ontario are not only vital links to the many communities but are also critical connectors for trucks traveling back and forth to support the supply chains in eastern and western Canada.
“The Government of Ontario has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the trucking industry throughout the COVID crisis to improve truck drivers’ access to key services and amenities while on the road, which has allowed the industry to keep the province’s economy moving,” said Stephen Laskowski, President of the Ontario Trucking Association. “Today’s announcement of adding more parking and rest areas for truck drivers in Northern Ontario is yet another example of this ongoing commitment.”
For complete details of today’s announcement click here.
For a list of locations that will be built or upgraded, and timelines click here.