The County of Renfrew is a more than a little miffed at the double speak and fine print out of Queen’s Park regarding Highway 17 four-laning and expansion.
At its Development and Property Committee Meeting last Wednesday (May 27th), the gathering spent an half hour discussing these discrepancies after Director of Public Works & Engineering Lee Perkins put the matter on the table.
The perceived delays are not only having an economic impact, they are a cause for safety concerns according to Horton Mayor Daina Proctor.
Admaston-Bromley representative Michael Donahue noted the project isn’t listed within Ontario’s five-year plan.
Donahue points to what’s missing in the fine print.
Warden Jennifer Murphy kept the ire short and sweet.
Peter Emon, who had occupied the Warden’s Chair for much of the inter-governmental discussion on the four-laning expansion say a meeting with the Minister of Transportation in Renfrew at the end of February (February 27th) was an eye-opener.
Further clarity may follow in-person consultations between government and local representative planned for McNab-Braeside’s Murray Yantha Centre June 18th, according to Director of Public Works & Engineering Lee Perkins.
It is June 18th that Provincial officials will meet with McNab-Braeside and County representatives for a focused update on the Highway 17 expansion. The session is expected to cover project timelines, land and access impacts, and upcoming construction staging, along with an opportunity for local officials to raise outstanding concerns.
The gathering will have an in-camera component before being opened to the public for comment.
To this point, representative Billy Denault encourages attendance at the June 18th meeting at the Murray Yantha Centre, which begins at 4PM and states, “As your voice at Queen’s Park I remain committed to raising the issue at every opportunity and advocating for the timely advancement of this critical project.”
By Rick Stow
