NDP provincial parliament members are initiating a nine-day journey through northern Ontario to bring attention to the ongoing safety issues along the Highway 11-17 corridor. The region has been deeply concerned about highway safety due to a recent series of fatal accidents, resulting in eight deaths within a 10-day span.
Speaking at a press conference at Queen’s Park before the road trip, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles emphasized the significance of northern highways as vital connections for healthcare, employment, and families. She criticized the government for neglecting calls from northern Ontario MPPs to enhance highway infrastructure and provide more oversight for transport truck drivers and training institutions.
The road trip, named “Our Roads, Our Safety,” includes NDP MPPs Guy Bourgouin, France Gelinas, Sol Mamakwa, John Vanthof, Lise Vaugeois, and Jamie West. Stiles will be joining them at various stops in North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Thunder Bay, and Kenora.
Recent data from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) North West Region revealed concerning statistics on collisions and fatalities on Highway 11 and Highway 17 between 2020 and 2025. During this period, there were 10,661 reported collisions on Highway 11 and 8,960 incidents on Highway 17, resulting in 116 deaths on Highway 11 and 123 deaths on Highway 17.
MPP Sol Mamakwa expressed sorrow over the tragic losses and stressed the urgent need for highway safety improvements. The Ministry of Transportation stated its commitment to investing nearly $600 million in northern roads, bridges, and highways, with over $350 million allocated to enhance the safety of Highways 11 and 17.
Highway 11-17 serves as the primary link to the rest of Canada for the region, and the closure of this route leaves motorists with limited alternatives. The push for development in the Ring of Fire region highlights the critical need for safe highways to support economic growth.
Despite the defeat of Bill 49, proposed by MPPs Bourgouin, Vanthof, and Vaugeois, which aimed to enhance highway safety measures, including more traffic enforcement and winter maintenance of the corridor, concerns persist regarding the state of the highways and the risks posed by fraudulent practices in the truck driving industry.
Community leaders advocate for the twinning of the highway and the implementation of a two-plus-one system to enhance safety measures. The ongoing efforts to address these issues highlight the shared commitment among various stakeholders for safer northern highways.