Minister blames terrain, EA process for Hwy 69 delay

The four-laning of Highway 69 might not be completed until as late as 2021, four years behind the original schedule for the project, said Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca.

“We have done some additional due diligence, (and) we had very strong conversations with some of our partners, including First Nations,” Del Duca told local media at a Highway 69 construction site near Alban, about 60 kilometres south of Sudbury.

“I wanted to come out here today and say that based on that due diligence and those conversations, we're now looking at project completion targets of 2019 through 2021.”

Del Duca said not long ago, he was still confident the project could be completed by 2017, but due to an ongoing federal environmental assessment process, which includes consultations with First Nations along the route, the original timeline had to be pushed back.

According to media reports, the Shawanaga First Nation, which is one of three First Nations the province is consulting for the project, is due to accept a settlement that would allow the four-laning to progress through its territory.

Band members, said reports, voted Feb. 28 to accept a $4-million settlement from the province for the four-laning to occur through their community.

But the province is also in discussions with the Magnetawan First Nation and Henvey Inlet First Nation, as required under the federal environmental assessment process.

Del Duca said construction along the rocky terrain of the Canadian Shield has also presented challenges.

To date, the province has invested $734 million into the four-laning of Highway 69, and has set aside an additional $1 billion in its capital budget to complete the project.

Around 50 kilometres have been widened so far, but more than 80 kilometres remain before the project can be completed.

The minister said construction crews are currently working along a 20-kilometre stretch that should be completed by the summer of 2016.

Nine kilometres, just north of Alban and Highway 64, is due to be completed in the summer of 2015, and the additional 11 kilometres, south of that point, should be done by 2016, he said.

“We're going to continue to work hard,” he said. “We're going to continue to show the community there is progress on a month to month basis.”

Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault, who was with Del Duca when he addressed media Friday, said the project's completion is important to improve Sudbury's economic prospects and the safety of the community.

“I think everyone in the North knows someone, or a family, that has been affected by an accident on this highway,” Thibeault said.