The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is calling for urgent action on Highways 11 and 17 after another fatal collision.
FONOM says on Saturday four tractor-trailers and a passenger vehicle were involved in a collision near Smooth Rock Falls that claimed the life of a Kapuskasing resident, marking the tenth highway fatality this winter on Northern highways. P
“These tragedies are becoming far too common on Northern Ontario highways,” says FONOM President Dave Plourde. “Northern Ontario families should not have to live with the constant fear that a routine trip on the highway could end in tragedy. When we see collision after collision and closure after closure, it becomes painfully clear that the current situation is unacceptable. Northern Ontarians deserve the same level of highway safety that people in southern Ontario expect every day.”
The group is calling for meaningful improvements to Highways 11 and 17, including expanding passing opportunities through four-laning where feasible and using the 2+1 highway model in appropriate sections.
“Northern leaders have already done the work. The Transportation Task Force delivered clear recommendations to improve safety on Highways 11 and 17, yet too few of those recommendations have been implemented,” says Plourde. “Every serious collision is another reminder that improving this corridor is not just a transportation issue—it is a matter of public safety for the people who live, work, and travel in Northern Ontario.”
FONOM says while it appreciates that some improvements have been made, many of the recommendations have yet to fully implemented, particularly those related to highway safety, passing opportunities, rest areas, and improved road design.
