Robin MacLennan
Ontario Construction Report staff writer
Highway 413 construction will start next year, Premier Doug Ford announced in May, calling the project “game changer for the region.”
The release of first early works construction contracts will be released shortly, to begin building Highway 413 in 2025, subject to all necessary approvals. It’s estimated the project will create 3,500 construction jobs each year that it’s being built, the premier said.
During construction, Highway 413 is expected to contribute $350 million to the province’s real GDP and support 3,500 jobs each year, such as heavy equipment operators, drilling and coring contractors, concrete and steel workers, utility contractors, environmental specialists, laboratory technologists and safety inspectors.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is reviving our construction sector with critical infrastructure projects like Highway 413, which will create thousands of well-paying careers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “The skilled trades is a major driver of Ontario’s economic prosperity.
“As our government makes record investments in job-creating critical infrastructure, we’re proud to work with union and industry partners through our over $1 billion Skills Development Fund to create the talent highway for workers to land a better job with a bigger paycheck in the skilled trades.”
Provincial officials will be meeting with property owners to acquire land and the “Get it Done Act” if passed, will allow land acquisitions to happen in the fall.
“Highway 413 will help meet the needs of our growing province as a prosperity corridor that will create thousands of good-paying union jobs during the construction phase and make life easier and more convenient for millions of drivers in the GTA and across Ontario,” Ford said in a statement.
The province has started fieldwork, including borehole drilling and engineering, to evaluate soil composition and bedrock depth. By mid-May, a “market sounding” event will be held with private sector experts to discuss ways to “move construction forward quickly and efficiently,” taking advantage of new technologies.
“We have a responsibility to ensure Ontario drivers have more time to spend on the moments that really matter in life, not stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Highway 413 will bring much-needed relief to drivers across the GTA and our government is proud to be getting it done.”
Highway 413 is a proposed 52-kilometre highway and transitway that will include extensions to Highways 410 and 427.