Majority of Ontarians disagree with Federal Minister’s statement that government should stop investing in new road infrastructure

New poll shows strong support for Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and Ring of Fire developments

/EIN News/ -- TORONTO, March 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A clear majority of Ontarians support the construction and expansion of new road infrastructure, including transformational projects like Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, and the Ring of Fire. A new public opinion survey released this morning reaffirms that the people of Ontario are steadfast in their support to see these projects built. 

The results of the poll, commissioned by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) and the Ontario Road Builders Association (ORBA), reveal that Ontarians strongly support building critical road infrastructure across the province, despite the statement from the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, that government should “stop investing in new road infrastructure.”

The findings underscore the importance of building new critical transportation infrastructure projects to address traffic congestion, accommodate population growth, expand trade routes and enable new economic opportunities for natural resource development in Northern Ontario.

The results of the poll, reveal that:

• 2 to 1 of respondents disagreed with Minister Guilbeault’s statement that the federal government should “stop investing in new road infrastructure” 
• 2 to 1 of respondents support Highway 413 
• 2 to 1 of respondents support the Bradford Bypass 
• 4 to 1 of respondents support the Ring of Fire development project 
• 2 to 1 of respondents believe “the government needs to build or expand more roads and highways” (where they live)
• 2 to 1 of respondents believe “the government needs to build or expand more roads and highways” (across the province)

“Ontarians have made it clear that they want all levels of government to invest in new and existing road infrastructure to alleviate congestion and open up more economic opportunities,” said Nadia Todorova, Executive Director of RCCAO. “It is time for the federal government to accept the will of the people and support transformational infrastructure. Projects like Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, and their supporting transit pairings, will better enable the movement of people and goods throughout one of North America’s fastest growing regions.”

“Canadians depend on roads and highways to get to work, drive their children to hockey practice and ensure their loved ones receive adequate health care. Today’s results show everyday people understand the critical need for these generational transportation infrastructure projects,” said Walid Abou-Hamde, CEO of ORBA. “The road building industry also employs more than 56,000 men and women in Ontario, that is tens of thousands of good paying jobs supporting workers and their families across the Province.”

Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass are key components of the Greater Golden Horseshoe’s Transportation Plan. The plan includes record investments in both road and transit infrastructure to support the country’s most populous and growing region, including support for housing and other required critical infrastructure. 

The polling reveals that after years of debate, the people of Ontario support these projects and recognize their importance as a key component of transportation planning for the region. Ontario’s stringent environmental assessment requirements and modern industry engineering capabilities are able to advance responsible infrastructure development while protecting the province’s environment. 

The full findings of this research are available at rccao.com/blog/buildON

RCCAO Executive Director Nadia Todorova and ORBA CEO Walid Abou-Hamde are available for interviews. 

Background on RCCAO: The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) is a labour-management construction alliance. Since its formation in 2005, RCCAO has been a leading industry advocate for infrastructure investment. It has commissioned 61 independent, solutions-based research reports to help inform decision makers. www.rccao.com 

Background on ORBA: The Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) is the voice of the transportation infrastructure sector in Ontario. Our members build provincial and municipal roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure across the province. The road building sector directly and indirectly supports 56,000 workers, and over $5.5B in annual GDP impact. To learn more about ORBA, visit www.orba.org.

Attachments

• Road Infrastructure Presentation for RCCAO and ORBA
• Lets Build Ontario

Dominic Stewart
                    Conaptus Ltd.
                    416.639.6090
                    media@conaptus.com