Building Highway 69 Faster Act, 2026

Proposed Project:

The Highway 69 Expansion Project (the Project) began in the mid-1990’s. The Route Planning, Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessments for the Project were completed in 2006 and 2008. Consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, the public, and stakeholders have occurred throughout more than two decades of Project planning and environmental assessment work. To date, Ontario has completed widening 84 kilometres (km) of the 152 km corridor, running from 17 km north of Parry Sound to 67 km south of Sudbury. The remaining 68 km, between Parry Sound and Sudbury, are divided into six sections:

1. From 1.7 km north of the north junction of Highway 529 to 2.9 km north of Highway 522 (20 km).
2. From south of the north junction of Highway 529 to north of the north junction of Highway 529 (7.5 km).
3. From the south junction of Highway 529, northerly (15 km).
4. From 1.5 km north of Highway 7182 northerly (11 km).
5. From 3.5 km south of Highway 7182 to 1.5 km north of Highway 7182 (5 km).
6. From north of Highway 559 to south of Highway 7182 (11 km).

Proposed Legislation:

Building Highway 69 Faster Act, 2026

We are proposing a statute – the Building Highway 69 Faster Act – that would, if passed:

• Exempt all activities by or on behalf of the Minister of Transportation that are for or related to the Project from the Environmental Assessment Act, and
• Establish a project-specific environmental assessment process for the Project. The process will not apply to early works activities

In the proposed statute, “early works activities” are defined as specified activities by or on behalf of the MTO. These are activities that MTO expects to be ready to proceed with earlier than other parts of the Project. Early works activities are further described in the section below.

Additionally, in the proposed statute, the “Highway 69 Expansion Project” is defined as realigning and expanding 68 kilometres of Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury, including certain early works activities that can be carried out by or on behalf of the Minister of Transportation.

Under the proposed Building Highway 69 Faster Act, the Minister of Transportation is required to fulfill the following requirements for the Project:

• Prepare a plan for consulting potentially impacted and interested Indigenous communities, circulate the plan to the communities and implement the plan
• Prepare and publish a draft Environmental Study Report (ESR) at the preliminary design level of detail which includes a description of local environmental conditions and studies completed, a description of the preferred alignment, a summary of the negative impacts of the Project, summary of mitigation measures to reduce identified environmental impacts and a summary of consultation with Indigenous communities
• Provide Indigenous communities, government agencies, and interested persons with an opportunity to comment on the draft ESR, and
• Prepare a final ESR, considering any comments regarding the draft ESR, and publish the final on the project website

The requirements of the proposed Building Highway 69 Faster Act build upon the considerable work, including studies and consultation, that MTO has undertaken to advance the environmental assessment work it has been doing under MTO’s 2000 Class Environmental Assessment (EA) since the commencement of the environmental assessment process for the Project, while providing a process for identifying and addressing environmental impacts associated with the remaining work.

Under the proposed statute, a person is prohibited from carrying out the Highway 69 Expansion Project except in accordance with the final ESR, as amended by any final addendum. However, this prohibition does not apply in respect of a “change to the Highway 69 Expansion Project" that is not a “significant change”: as these terms are defined in the proposed statute. Information regarding significant changes and the addendum process can be found below.

The proposed Building Highway 69 Faster Act also includes:

• An addendum process to deal with significant changes to the Project (as set out in the final ESR). The process includes a requirement to assess impacts and identify mitigation, prepare a draft addendum with an opportunity to comment, and prepare a final addendum and publish it. A change to the Project that is not a significant change can proceed without any process under the proposed Act
• The Act includes notice requirements and provides authority to make regulations, including regulations that incorporate external documents by reference and, where authorized, apply retroactively
• A provision that amends the Building Highways Faster Act, 2024 to designate the Highway 69 Expansion Project as a priority highway project.

Under the proposed statute, MTO is not prevented from applying for and obtaining permits needed for construction before completing the streamlined process (e.g. Species Conservation Act). In addition, the proposed legislation provides an exemption from Part II of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 that includes the posting for public comments requirements for provincial permits and approvals that may be required for the project and that would otherwise be required to post.

The proposed statute will not alter existing land acquisition processes applicable to First Nations operating under a Land Code.

Early Works Activities

As noted above, the proposed statute exempts Highway 69 early works activities from the Environmental Assessment Act. Under the proposed statute, early works activities would not be subject to the environmental study report requirements established under the proposed Act.

In the proposed Building Highway 69 Faster Act, the early works activities include:

1. Tree clearing or vegetation removal in the following portions of Highway 69:
   • From Highway 522, northerly for 2.98 km
   • From a point 0.48 km north of Highway 529, northerly for 3.52 km
   • From the south junction of Highway 529, northerly for 15 km
   • From a point 1.5 km north of Highway 7182, northerly for 11 km
   • From a point 1.9 km north of the new Highway 559 interchange to a point 5.3 km north of Woods Road
2. Constructing construction access at the following locations:
   • Station 13+800, Carling Township
   • Station 17+000, Carling Township
   • Station 20+100, Carling Township
3. Constructing the northbound and southbound Still River Bridges at Station 11+877, Henvey Township.
4. Land remediation work, including at the following locations:
   • The former Muskoka timber mill site located near the location of the future highway interchange at Bekanon Road
   • A 2.6 kilometres section of CN rail line located approximately 0.25 kilometres south of Highway 522
5. Any other activities as prescribed.

Environmental protection remains a key priority for the Ministry. While the Project is expected to deliver benefits such as improved safety and reliability along the Highway 69 corridor, potential impacts on the natural environment, water resources, wildlife, and Indigenous interests would continue to be identified and assessed. The proposed legislation would establish a framework during preliminary design for the Ministry to identify studies and reports completed, document impacts and mitigation in a report, consult with Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and the public, and implement measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate or manage adverse impacts.