'Something has to happen. It has to stop. I'm scared to travel that highway myself.' Add Gaetan Malette, MP for Kapuskasing-Timmins-Mushkegowuk, to the growing list of politicians pushing for improvements to the beleaguered Highway 11 corridor.
This week, Malette announced he has put forward a private member’s motion (known as M-26) asking the federal government to officially make Highway 11 a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act, within Bill C-5. “For many northern Ontarians, driving this highway has become a source of fear rather than routine travel, of which of my community members can attest to,” reads a portion of Malette’s statement which called on the government “...to recognize its essential role in national security, interprovincial trade and economic stability.” On Thursday, Malette, who was elected in April of 2025 , spoke with The Daily Press about the initiative, calling it “THE priority” right now. “Something needs to be done,” he said.
“I’m travelling that highway all the time. During my campaign, so many times I had to turn around before I got to Kapuskasing, or Cochrane, and come back to Timmins,” he said. Malette shared some alarming figures.
“From August 11, to about mid-February – which is about six months – there has been 21 fatalities on that stretch of highway from near Longlac to New Liskeard. 21.” He said he is aghast at the tragic stories which have become far too frequent. In late January, three lives were lost in a collision.
“Four teenagers. A young family around Opasatika, a mother and daughter, families, workers, people travelling – 21 fatalities in six months. Its just terrible, terrible.” Malette, a first time MP, and member of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) – currently the official opposition – made it clear this wasn’t about any form of petty party politics.
“This motion is presented as non-partisan. The ultimate goal is to save lives,” he said. “There will be a vote in the House of Commons on this.
So the motion has been presented. It may be late in the spring, or early summer.” If Malette’s motion sounds familiar, it is. The issue of highway safety concerning Highway 11, and Highway 17, has been discussed extensively at the provincial level for years.
Guy Bourgoin, the MPP for the provincial riding of Mushkegowuk-James Bay, had his most recent private member’s bill defeated in November , which he called “politically motivated” as none of the northern-based Ontario PC Party MPPs voted in favour. Bourgouin’s bill, (Bill 49) asked for winter maintenance responsibilities to be returned to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), increased staffing at scales and inspection stations, increased Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) presence, and for all commercial truck drivers to be tested by certified MTO examiners. In late January, the OPP arrested eight people for possessing fraudulent commercial driver licenses in Kingston and the Greater Toronto Area.
Following the arrests, the province of Ontario shut down the implicated driving schools. Bourguin subsequently called on the MTO to to require all license holders from the trucking schools involved in the fraudulent scheme to retake their exams with a certified MTO examiner. Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof called on the MTO to inspect driving schools, instead of inspectors from the ministry of colleges, training and universities, as is currently the practice.
Currently, Vanthof, Bourgouin and Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa are on a nine-day trip road trip throughout the region to showcase the dangers of northern highways. Malette explained his position. “When I started on this, I remember some people saying ‘highways are provincial jurisdiction.'” He referenced the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1949, passed by Prime Minister Louis St.
Laurent. “It was for inter-provincial transportation, and national security. So we’re staying within our jurisdiction.” Malette said there are some big issues all along the Trans-Canada Highway, but that the two worst areas are in British Columbia and northern Ontario.
“All the traffic from west-to-east, and east-to-west, goes through Ontario. Its inter-provincial transportation, which is federal jurisdiction.” Malette explained that if the bill is ultimately approved, a committee will be struck, and they will get to work and speak with the province. The province would ultimately decide what needs to be done, but there will be involvement from the federal government.
Malette wants to see a joint task force established with federal representatives from Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada involved, as well as the province. He was asked if he is aware of the work that northern MPPs such as Bourgouin and Vanthof have been doing on this issue. “Yes of course, and my approach is to get the federal government involved.” Malette said beyond all the political chatter, he wants to save lives.
“Something has to happen. It has to stop. I’m scared to travel that highway myself.
I try not to do it at night anymore.” Despite some of the setbacks provincially, Malette said he’s hoping things can move forward at the federal level. He added that the over $500 billion in new spending within the federal budget should have some funds to advance this initiative. Malette said he will find out early next week when his specific time to speak in the House of Commons will be.
“I will have a 15-minute speech on it. Then there will be a debate, and questions for six minutes, and then there will be a vote.” He added that over the next few weeks, work will be done to get a petition circulated across northern Ontario. Both paper, and online versions.
He will be working with the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) to help with circulation. “The more names we get on the petition, the stronger it becomes when there is a vote in the House of Commons.” Malette acknowledged that highway safety issues is one of the most common concerns and complaints his office receives. “I hear about it all the time.” Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion.
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