Opinion: Northern Ontario Deserves Better – Fixing the Trans-Canada Highway Crisis
By James Murray – NetNewsLedger
THUNDER BAY – OPINION – For anyone who has driven the Trans-Canada Highway through Northern Ontario in the winter, the experience can feel more like an endurance test than a national transportation route. Road closures due to accidents, dangerous winter conditions, and poor snow clearing are routine.
Transport trucks jackknife on icy roads, stranding travelers for hours—or even days—without alternative routes. Meanwhile, a lack of national training standards for truck drivers means that some operators are simply not prepared for the brutal conditions of Northern Ontario’s highways.
This is not just an inconvenience; it is a crisis.
The Trans-Canada Highway is the economic and logistical backbone of our country, yet Northern Ontario’s stretch of it remains one of the most unreliable and dangerous in Canada.
Especially now with the rumblings from US President Trump on trade tariffs and with Premiers and the federal government looking to lower inter-provincial trade barriers – Fixing the biggest barrier the transportation network needs to top the list.
A Highway That Fails Northern Ontario
When the Trans-Canada Highway was conceived, it was meant to be the lifeline connecting Canada from coast to coast. But for those of us in Northern Ontario, that lifeline is often cut off. Every winter, we brace for days when Highway 17 or Highway 11 will be closed due to crashes, poor visibility, or unplowed snow.
For truckers and supply chains, this means costly delays and increased risks. For residents, it means communities cut off from essential services. And for emergency responders, it means delays in reaching people who need urgent help.
This would be unacceptable in Southern Ontario or Western Canada, yet it has become “normal” in the North. It shouldn’t be.
The Need for National Trucking Standards
One of the biggest contributors to highway closures in Northern Ontario is transport truck accidents. The trucking industry is vital to Canada’s economy, but the lack of national driver training standards means that not all drivers are properly prepared for winter highway conditions.
Ontario has implemented Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) for commercial truck drivers, but not all provinces have the same requirements.
This creates inconsistencies in driver experience and safety knowledge. A national standard should be enforced to ensure that all truck drivers—regardless of where they are trained—are properly equipped to handle the extreme conditions of Canada’s highways.
Better training means fewer accidents. Fewer accidents mean fewer closures. It’s that simple.
Poor Snow Clearing Puts Lives at Risk
Another issue that compounds Northern Ontario’s winter driving dangers is inconsistent and inadequate snow clearing.
Unlike Southern Ontario, where highways are often cleared quickly after a snowfall, Northern Ontario’s highways sometimes remain treacherous for hours or even days.
Why? A combination of factors, including contractor inefficiencies, a lack of government prioritization, and a failure to recognize that the North has harsher, more frequent snowstorms.
If the Trans-Canada Highway is truly the most important road in Canada, why is its maintenance treated as an afterthought in the North?
The provincial and federal governments must commit to better funding for highway maintenance, ensuring that Northern Ontario’s roads receive the same level of service as the rest of the country.
A Call to Action: Fix It Now
Northern Ontario should not have to accept dangerous roads and frequent highway closures as “just the way it is.”
The solutions are clear:
- Implement a national trucking standard that ensures all drivers are prepared for Canada’s winter conditions.
- Invest in better highway maintenance and snow clearing to reduce preventable accidents and closures.
- Improve alternative route options so that when accidents do happen, travelers and goods can still move efficiently.
This is not just about convenience—it is about safety, economic stability, and fairness. If the Trans-Canada Highway is truly the backbone of this country, it’s time for the government to start treating it like one.