The highway safety issues in Northwestern Ontario were highlighted on Mornings In The Bay, 99.9 The Bay w/ Danny Foresta. The President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) and Marathon Mayor Rick Dumas joined Danny in the studio for the first time – and he emphasized the urgent need to address Highways 11 and 17, which serve as vital connections between our region and the rest of Canada.
Dumas mentioned that this discussion has been ongoing for many years. He’s been part of the NOMA board for almost 25 years, advocating for improvements to the Northern Highway Corridor. As he stated, “NOMA’s been working on the highway systems for many, many years” and despite some funding, “we just don’t believe it’s enough.”
A pivotal moment came last December when NOMA collaborated with its northeastern counterpart, FONOM (Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities), representing 110 municipalities. Together, they went to Ottawa for “Hill Days,” where they met MPs to discuss a pressing reality: there are too many fatalities, closures, and economic disruptions due to single-lane highways throughout Northern Ontario. “Closures are a big thing for the economic viability of Canada and Northern Ontario,” Dumas said.
Since then, there has been growing momentum. Meetings with Ontario’s Minister of Transportation and Minister of Northern Development led to a joint effort at both provincial and federal levels to tackle issues within the Trans-Canada Highway system. In March, the province formally requested Ottawa’s partnership on a long-term solution – with NOMA acting as a mediator among various government levels.
According to Dumas, the message is straightforward: Northern Ontario requires divided highways. Whether through full twinning or “2+1” systems, separation is key – because currently drivers are often just “30 centimeters between you and an oncoming transports.”
He highlights Highway 11 as a priority for complete twinning from North Bay to Manitoba while emphasizing that Highway 17 needs a combination of twinning and 2+1 upgrades. He feels optimistic about these changes happening-especially if Canada considers highway safety as part of national security. As he pointed out, the federal government plans to allocate $1.2 trillion toward defense by 2035. “Let’s take some of those military spends and put them into our highway corridor,” he said.
The stakes in terms of commerce are substantial. Transport traffic is heavy and increasing; updated figures from the Ministry of Transportation are expected shortly. Dumas recounted how a former transport driver would always opt for Highway 11 during winter because it was safer-a reminder that real-world decisions impact daily safety and commerce.
Dumas also recently had a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney where he presented NOMA’s briefing book highlighting the necessity for cooperation between federal and provincial governments. While he doesn’t expect every detail about each road bend to be known by the PM, he does hope Ottawa acknowledges that maintaining the Trans-Canada Highway is a national responsibility. “Let’s have the federal and provincial governments come together and work on that,” he said.
For Dumas personally this issue hits home; residents from Marathon frequently travel long distances to Thunder Bay seeking medical assistance. Drivers contend with foggy conditions, snowstorms, large trucks, and narrow lanes-and even after four decades behind the wheel himself admits that sometimes “there’s many times my knuckles get white.”
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In summary? Safety comes first. NOMA, FONOM, along with northern municipalities share common goals now more than ever. Discussions are underway; pressure continues to build up until funding is secured so highways can finally meet national standards.
“We’re all on the same page. We just have to figure out how do we get the money identified and committed to those highway systems.”
Danny Foresta was born and raised in Thunder Bay. He’s worked in radio for over 30 years. Has spent the last 20 years in Morning Radio. Joined Acadia Broadcasting in 2021.
He enjoys all aspects of the radio industry. Danny is married to Lori, and has a son, Joesph in University. View all posts
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Danny Foresta was born and raised in Thunder Bay. He’s worked in radio for over 30 years. Has spent the last 20 years in Morning Radio. Joined Acadia Broadcasting in 2021.He enjoys all aspects of the radio industry. Danny is married to Lori, and has a son, Joesph in University. View all posts
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