Ontario’s official opposition has released a documentary focusing on the dangers of Northern Ontario highways.
The 15-minute video was shot over a two week period as NDP leader Marit Stiles and members of the party’s Northern Caucus drove along Hwy. 11 and Hwy. 17, from Toronto to Manitoba, travelling through Kapuskasing, Timmins, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie.
“After almost two weeks on the road, the stories and experiences shared is something we will always carry with us,” said Sol Mamakwa, MPP for Kiiwetinoong. “This tour made it clear that for northerners, worrying about loved ones making it home safe is a daily reality. It’s past time the province steps up to protect lives.”
Footage shows areas of the Ontario highways where there are two single lanes with little to no room for drivers to maneuver. They compare that to Manitoba where lanes are twinned and allow space for vehicles to avoid head on collisions.
During the tour, MPPs met with residents along the route whose lives are impacted daily by the highways. The interviews included heartbreaking firsthand accounts from families who have lost loved ones to collisions on the highway. Nathan Vaillant’s wife, Cheyenne, was killed on January 29th, 2026.
“She said, ‘I love you. Get some sleep’. Twenty-five minutes later she lost her life on 11/17,” Vaillant said.
Vaillant said that he went over the report that stated that Cheyenne was not speeding, had full winter tires on her vehicle, and was not on her phone. He added that a first responder slipped on the ice at the scene. So far in 2026 alone, there have been at least 10 fatalities on northern highways.
“The reality of Highway 11/17 seems invisible to decision-makers in the south, but Northerners know these roads are lifelines,” said Guy Bourgouin, MPP for Mushkegowuk—James Bay. “We hope that by sharing these stories, tragedies, and the fears families carry every time they get behind the wheel, we can raise awareness that change is needed, and that we need action now to secure these roads.”
The documentary was screened at Queen’s Park on Monday April 13, 2026. According to an article by CTV News, after the viewing, the MPPs asked Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria for a response as the families watched from the gallery. Sarkaria stated that Ontario has increased the number of transportation enforcement officers in the north this year “by over 48 individuals, conducting over 129,000 inspections, which is up over 50 per cent.”
Further south, concerns are being raised about Highway 69 after three people were killed in one week. On April 7, 2026, at approximately 7:00 a.m., the West Parry Sound OPP responded to a collision involving a southbound passenger vehicle and a northbound commercial vehicle near Britt. Two people were killed in that crash. On April 9, 2026, at approximately 7:15 p.m., the West Parry Sound OPP responded to a motor vehicle collision involving two vehicles on Highway 69 near Woods Road in Carling Township. One person was killed.
On Saturday April 11, 2026, Parry Sound – Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith posted a statement to his Facebook page.
Last week during a media event in North Bay to promote the return of the Northlander passenger rail service, Ontario Premier Doug Ford was asked about the multiple deaths on Highway 11 and 17 this winter.
“We’re going full steam. I’m making sure that we expand highways that no government has ever expanded before,” Ford replied. He added, “”The Highway 11 North 2 + 1 project has never been done in North America. We’re expanding a treacherous track down from Sudbury, Highway 69, making that two lanes on either side. It’s going to make it a lot safer.”
There is now an online petition and a written petition calling for Ottawa’s involvement by designating Highway 11 as a Project of National Interest under the Building Canada Act. The motion is being made by Kapuskasing-Timmins-Mushkegowuk MP Gaétan Malette. Because MPs cannot have an e-petition, the virtual version was created by Kapuskasing Mayor Dave Plourde and sponsored by Malette. The petition states:
Whereas:
- The Trans-Canada Highway 11 is a critical corridor for the movement of goods, services, and people across provincial boundaries;
- The safety and reliability of the Trans-Canada Highway 11 is essential to support Canada’s economic stability, supply chain resilience, national security, and regional development;
- Highway 11 is often the site of fatal collisions between passenger vehicles and transportation trucks, presenting a significant safety risk to travellers in the region; and
- The Highway is subject to repeated closures due to accidents and truck incidents that completely cut off access to travel, creating serious safety risks for residents, travellers, and emergency services.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to designate Trans-Canada Highway 11 as a Project of National Interest under the Building Canada Act. Highway 11 requires upgrades to protect the safety of all travellers and endure the reliable interprovincial movement of goods.
If approved, that designation would allow access to federal funding and support planning efforts aimed at improving safety, reliability and capacity along the corridor. The online petition will be available until August 5, 2026.
Meanwhile, the NDP says the time for swift action is now.
“Too many lives have already been lost,” said France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt. “It’s time for this government to start treating northern highways for what they are: lifelines.”
The full documentary is attached to this article.
