For Immediate Release
May 15, 2006

Sterling ’s pressure on Highway 7 pays off

McGuinty government finally announces construction for widening of Highway 7  

Queen’s Park, Toronto –Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling is happy to see the widening of Highway 7 between Carleton Place and the 417 on the Ministry of Transportation’s construction projects for this summer.

“I am happy to see this project finally get started,” said Mr. Sterling.  “But I want to remind residents that if this government had stuck to my original plan construction would be well underway by now.”

The widening of Highway 7 was included in a list of seven projects announced by Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar today, and the only project on the list that is East of the Greater Toronto Area.

“Given this government’s recent focus on the G.T.A., I was concerned this important project might once again be put on the back burner,” said Mr. Sterling.  “I am relieved to see they didn’t forget about this particular project but I am also concerned about the lack of improvements announced for anywhere else in Eastern Ontario .  For example, I would like to see some indication that this government is moving ahead with the widening of the Queensway.”

Mr. Sterling, at the time Ontario ’s Minister of Transportation, announced the widening of Highway 7 between Highway 417 and Carleton Place in January 2003, with an anticipated completion date of 2007.  Since the McGuinty government took power in October 2003, they have repeatedly said they are committed to this project but delayed the start of construction.  During that time Mr. Sterling has regularly writen and spoken to Minister Takhar about the importance of this project, made statements and asked questions about it in the Legislature and introduced petitions calling upon the government to get this project started. 

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For more information, please call Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling at: (416) 314-7900