We haven't heard about the Garden City Skyway Bridge twinning project in Niagara for sometime, and now it's back in the spotlight as the Ontario government hands out over $2B in highway construction cash.
Premier Doug Ford confirmed the project will move ahead this week, but a timeline has not been announced.
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff tells CKTB the twinning project will ease congestion and provide people with jobs during this difficult economic time. Click here to listen to the interview.
In a separate announcement the Ford government committed $30M to replacing the Forks Road Bridge, a bridge in St. Ann's and reconstructing roads in Niagara Falls.
Oosterhoff says more infrastructure announcements are on their way.
NDP MPP for St. Catharines Jennie Stevens has sent a letter to the transportation minister asking for a firm timeline saying residents have been left in the dark for far too long.
MPP for St. Catharines
Dear Minister Mulroney,
Niagarans have waited for years now for the twinning of the Garden City Skyway linking St.
Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake to finally be built. Successive Conservative and Liberal
governments have made promises without delivering. My constituents are eager to know when
they can expect to see shovels in the ground.
With the devastating impact of COVID-19 on our economy across the Niagara Region, these
initiatives are needed to assist in re-building our province and creating jobs. As you know,
between February and May, the region has lost 31,600 jobs – a sharp decline of 15.6 per cent
in the last three months – and unemployment has shot up to 12.6 per cent.
As MPP for St. Catharines I want to ensure members of our community and broader Niagara
Region are informed on what this project entails. We need to know the details of the project,
the funding allocated, and concrete timelines for when construction is set to begin and
deadlines for completion.
I am concerned that an announcement without action and firm dates leaves Niagarans in the
dark about whether this project will finally be built. We need a clear timeline and action on the
ground, not more empty promises and vague commitments.
Sincerely,
Jennie Stevens
MPP for St. Catharines