The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) has written to federal and provincial leaders, calling for urgent safety and capacity upgrades to Highways 11 and 17, describing them as critical routes for national supply chain reliability.
In a letter sent Oct. 17 to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, federal Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon, and Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, the PMTC voiced strong support for plans to expand and modernize the Trans-Canada corridor across Northern Ontario.
“These highways are lifelines of our members, drivers, customers, and communities,” wrote PMTC president Mike Millian in a copy of the letter provided to trucknews.com.
“Every day, thousands of transport trucks travel these routes to move essential goods — including food, fuel, equipment, and raw materials — between eastern and western Canada. Our members know firsthand the dangers and delays caused by limited passing opportunities, winter closures, and long single-lane stretches. The risks to safety, schedules, and supply chain reliability are significant.”
Millian further said that the organization fully backs FONOM’s (Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities) proposal to implement 2+1 roads and targeted twinning projects along key sections of Highways 11 and 17, calling the approach “practical, cost-effective, and proven to save lives” while improving traffic flow and reducing collisions.
PMTC noted that the Ontario government has already launched a 2+1 pilot project between North Bay and Temagami, but added that federal participation is needed to accelerate and extend upgrades along the entire Trans-Canada corridor from Quebec to Manitoba.
PMTC believes the improved infrastructure would reduce head-on collisions and weather-related accidents, enhance reliability for time-sensitive freight and just-in-time manufacturing, and strengthen national logistics efficiency and trade, benefiting every sector that relies on the movement of goods.
“As an association whose members are committed to the safe and efficient movement of goods across Canada, we urge both levels of government to prioritize this nation-building project and commit the resources required to make it a reality,” Millian wrote.
