The provincial government released its latest draft transportation plan for southwestern Ontario on Friday and it included only a passing mention of a long-awaited new Highway 7 that has been in the plans for over 20 years.
The new Highway 7 project between Guelph and Kitchener is still listed as one of the 40 projects in the report, titled Connecting the Southwest, but it is not listed as one of its key actions in southwestern Ontario.
A statment emailed Monday by Ministry of Transportation spokesperson Christina Salituro in response to GuelphToday questions said the expansion of Highway 7 within the Waterloo Region remains a priority for the provincial government.
Phase One of the new Highway 7 project was completed in June, said Salituro, and included widening of the Guelph Street underpass, the widening and realignment of Shirley Avenue, municipal utility relocations at Victoria Street, clearing and fencing of select areas along the new Highway 7 corridor and the replacement of the Victoria Street underpass.
Environmental field work, detailed soil investigations and other engineering work for the remainder of the project are underway, she added.
"We are pleased that we have already made significant progress on Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph, which speaks to our commitment to moving this project forward," said Salituro.
After years of delays by Liberal and PC provincial governments, Mayor Cam Guthrie told GuelphToday the project has not been getting the focus it deserves.
The project was approved in 2007 by the Ministry of Transportation as a four-lane controlled access freeway between Kitchener and Guelph, 10 years after the first environmental assessment.
“We still thought things were progressing forward. To hear there is more of a stall is not something anyone in the region — not just Guelph — is really thrilled to hear,” said Guthrie.
Prioritization of major projects is important, said Guthrie, but there is a strong economic argument for the project
“These types of transportation corridors are needed to support the positive economic atmosphere in this region,” he said.
Reached by email on Monday, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner said he has been vocally opposed to the new Highway 7 project in the past, but he said it's time for the job to be completed.
"The province has spent over $100 million on Highway 7 with no improvements to transportation in the region," said Schreiner. "I think the Conservatives should finish the job to avoid wasting money already spent."
Schreiner also proposes a direct GO Transit bus service between Guelph and Kitchener to remove some of the current vehiclular traffic on the route to reduce the current gridlock.
Art Sinclair, vice-president of the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, said it's nothing new and that it continues the "holding pattern" the province has had since the Dalton McGuinty Liberals were in power.
Sinclair told KitchenerToday he sees nothing in the report that indicates any real commitment to get the Highway 7 expansion done. More frustrating, "there are other projects across southwestern Ontario that have been kind of moved in line ahead of Highway 7."
The plans now represent a missed opportunity to Sinclair. Waterloo Region businesses were looking to Highway 7 as a possible alternative route into the GTA market for their goods, compared to the very congested Highway 401.
Shakiba Shayani, president and CEO of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, said she is happy to hear the project is back on the plan after being under review by the Ontario government.
“Due to limited improvements to public transportation to and from Kitchener-Waterloo, people who live in one community and work in the other continue to face difficulties commuting,” said Shayani.
Another project highlighted in the report is the construction of a bypass around the Town of Morriston as well as upgrades to the south end of Highway 6 in Guelph.
Shayani said she is pleased to see that project mentioned in the report.
“These are all critical infrastructure projects so I hope the province releases timelines and additional details about both projects soon,” she said.
Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife told KitchenerToday commuters have every right to be frustrated over the lack of progress, calling for leadership from the government.
"After 13 years — 13 years after the ribbon was cut and the photo ops were taken by the Liberals — the Conservatives have just doubled down on stalling Highway 7. And to add insult to injury, we've already spent 120 million dollars as a province on expropriation, on design and build, and yet we have no Highway 7."
—with files from KitchenerToday
