Making Highways 11 and 17 a Class 1 highway in Ontario.
That promise coming from Ontario Liberal party leader Steven Del Duca, who made a few stops in Thunder Bay on Sunday to support Thunder Bay-Superior North candidate Shelby Ch’ng and Thunder Bay-Atikokan candidate Robert Barrett.
“What I learned in my time at the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is that we need to do more to support highway and road safety and maintenance throughout the province, including here in and around Thunder Bay, across the North, across the Northwest,” said Del Duca.
“That’s why we’ve made this decision as part of our platform.”
When asked why he didn’t make the move while he was the Minister of Transportation (2004-2018), Del Duca only said he’s running for Premier and not a senior cabinet member.
A Class 1 designation allows snow removal equipment to be deployed as soon as 2.5 centimetres of snow has fallen and also calls for inspections three times every seven days.
Del Duca began the day at Goods & Co on Red River Road, and then had a private meeting with Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins.
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca arriving at Goods & Co on Sunday, May 22, 2022
Del Duca, when discussing the Indigenous portfolio, said under an Ontario government, there would be a minister dedicated to Indigenous reconciliation.
“I think it was a horrible mistake on the part of Ford Progressive Conservatives to get rid of that exclusive and stand alone responsibility given how serious the challenges are,” he said.
Del Duca added that the Liberal plan also promises to build new units of off-reserve Indigenous housing and to include more teachings in history classes on topics like the residential school system.
Before heading to Sudbury, the leader also pledged that residents would pay less at the pumps.
“Ontario Liberals, come July 1, will take 5.7 cents a litre off of the gas tax and 5.3 cents a litre off of the fuel tax to give people immediate relief at the pumps,” said Del Duca.
The Ontario PC Party also vowed a 5.7 cents a litre drop in the gas tax on July 1, while the NDP wants to see the price of fuel regulated through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on a weekly basis, instead of gas companies.
