NEWS RELEASE
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
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The Ontario government has issued a Request for Proposals to advance the expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Garden City Skyway, marking another milestone in the province’s plan to reduce gridlock, connect more people to jobs and provide a crucial link between Ontario’s international border crossings and the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
“With Ontario’s population growing at a historic rate, we need to ensure our transportation infrastructure keeps pace,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The new and expanded Garden City Skyway will be a game-changer, meaning less congestion and faster travel for the people of St. Catharines and Niagara Region.”
The Skyway expansion includes construction of a new four-lane, 2.2 km bridge across the Welland Canal, as well as the rehabilitation and full deck replacement of the current bridge. Once complete, each bridge will have four lanes with the new bridge carrying Toronto-bound traffic and the upgraded existing bridge carrying Niagara-bound traffic.
“The Request for Proposals (RFP) is an important step on the path to expanding the Garden City Skyway. With the projected increases in population and jobs throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe in the coming years, this expansion will allow people and goods to travel more freely through Niagara,” said Mat Siscoe, Mayor of St. Catharines. “The City of St. Catharines is looking forward to the completion of this project and the economic growth that will accompany it.”
The expansion of the Garden City Skyway is among the more than 100 actions identified in the government’s Connecting the GGH: A Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Quick facts
- On average, 106,000 vehicles cross the Garden City Skyway bridge daily.
- By 2051, the Greater Golden Horseshoe’s population is estimated to grow from 10 million to almost 15 million people. Over the same period, the region’s employment figures will grow from almost five million to seven million jobs.
- The Greater Golden Horseshoe sees $1.16 trillion in goods transported annually on its highways.
- The government of Ontario has committed more than $3 billion in funding for the 2024–25 Ontario Highways Program, which features 650 expansion and rehabilitation projects.
Quotes
"Ontario’s highway infrastructure is critical to the growth and economic prosperity of our province. As part of our plan to build Ontario, our government is continuing to invest in essential infrastructure like the Garden City Skyway to make it easier for people to travel, while supporting businesses that rely on Ontario’s highways and bridges to deliver goods." - Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure
"Our government is delivering on its plan to build by investing in critical infrastructure like the Garden City Skyway. Drivers know that under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is getting it done by building better roads to reduce gridlock and get people moving. By strengthening the link between the Greater Golden Horseshoe and U.S. border crossings, we’re supporting our province’s supply chain, strengthening our economy and building a better Ontario." - Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West
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