After Ontario recently agreed to take over two Toronto expressways, Chatham-Kent council is lobbying to upload its former provincial roads.
After Ontario recently agreed to take over two Toronto expressways, Chatham-Kent council is lobbying to upload its former provincial roads.
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In light of Premier Doug Ford’s recent announcement about the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway (DVP), council Monday unanimously backed Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor’s motion calling for similar treatment here.
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Council directed staff to “identify roadways previously funded by the province and draft a letter requesting similar treatment, including an uploading of said identified roadways to the province.”
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McGregor said he’s realistic about the motion itself, but it’s important to at least raise the issue.
“I do think it’s helpful that the community and even members around this table recognize the impact of previous downloads,” he said.
“The outcome in the infrastructure deficit that we face resulting from that and the added expense to taxpayers in Chatham-Kent is pretty profound. . . I think there’s some opportunity for municipalities to be a little louder in their call for new revenue tools and new revenue sharing.”
There’s much more work to do on the matter, including through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, he added.
Michael Duben, Chatham-Kent’s chief administrator, said the letter will mention the municipality’s openness to other potential revenue opportunities.
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“I do think down the road that the impact of long-term improvements to Talbot Trail in this community is significant,” he said. “We probably need to develop some sort of an advocacy approach to having some discussions about Talbot Trail.”
Talbot Trail has experienced significant structural issues in recent years due to erosion and its proximity to Lake Erie in certain stretches.
While many roads have been downloaded to municipalities across the province, “very few. . . attract this kind of expense,” Duben said.
During the Nov. 27 announcement, Premier Doug Ford said the Gardiner and DVP, main routes to Toronto’s downtown, carry more than 300,000 vehicles a day and are vital to the economy.
“If you look at Toronto alone and in the surrounding area of Toronto, they represent 50 per cent of our GDP,” he said. “It’s massive. There’s nothing like it in the country.”
With files from The Canadian Press and Postmedia
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