NDP MPPs Jamie West and France Gélinas have launched a non-partisan initiative to force the expansion of the final 68 kilometres of Highway 69. The "Four Lanes, Zero Excuses" campaign follows a fatal collision on June 5 and decades of unfulfilled provincial commitments.
The June 5 Tragedy of Cody Van Den Bosch
The catalyst for this renewed political pressure was the death of Cody Van Den Bosch, who was killed in a collision on the two-lane section of Highway 69 on June 5. During a launch event on July 23 at the Mine Mill and Smelter Local 598 hall, the family of the victim shared the emotional toll of the accident.. Erin Lafond, the aunt of Cody Van Den Bosch, stated that no family should have to experience such grief and pledged to use her nephew's memory to advocate for safer roads.
According to the report, Jamie West and France Gélinas are framing this campaign as a matter of public safety rather than political gain. By centering the human cost of the current road configuration, the NDP MPPs aim to transform a long-standing infrastructure debate into an urgent humanitarian demand for the province to act.
Eight PC Budgets with Zero Dollars for Highway 69
The frustration driving the "Four Lanes, Zero Excuses" campaign is rooted in a timeline of perceived government neglect. While promises to four-lane the highway between Sudbury and Toronto date back to 1991, France Gélinas pointed out that eight consecutive Progressive Conservative budgets have allocated zero dollars toward the project. This lack of funding persists despite recent claims from Premier Doug Ford that the expansion remains a priority.
To combat this inertia, Jamie West and France Gélinas are deploying a wide array of visibility tools, including billboards, vehicle stickers, and a dedicated petition hosted at jamiewestmpp.ca/4lane69.. As reported by the source, the campaign is designed to create a public record of the province's failure to move from verbal affirmations to financial appropriations.
The Support of Henvey Inlet, Shawanaga, and Magnetawan
A critical component of the NDP's strategy is dismantling the narrative that Indigenous land claims are the primary obstacle to the Highway 69 expansion. The campaign explicitly asserts that the three First Nations located along the two-lane stretch—Henvey Inlet, Shawanaga, and Magnetawan—actually support the project. this contradicts common provincial talking points regarding regulatory or consultative delays.
The leadership of these nations has been vocal in their support. Magnetawan Chief Lloyd Noganosh has stated his community will not block the expansion,while Henvey Inlet Chief Wayne McQuabbie reported that a draft agreement is nearly finalized. Additionally, Shawanaga Chief Adam Pawis indicated that an amicable agreement was expected by late 2024. These alignments suggest that the bottleneck is located within the provincial government's administration rather than with the First Nations partners.
The Silence of Provincial Spokespeople on a Completion Date
Despite the alignment of local MPPs and First Nations leadership, the Ontario government has failed to provide a concrete schedule for the remaining 68 kilometres of Highway 69. Provincial spokespeople have reportedly avoided giving specific timelines, instead relying on generic statements that the project is a "priority."
This lack of transparency leaves several critical questions unanswered: Why has no funding appeared in the last eight budgets if the project is a priority? What specific administrative hurdles remain if the three First Nations are in agreement? And why has the province failed to provide a public roadmap for a project that has been promised for over three decades?
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