Premier Doug Ford Allocates $420 Million for Highway 7 Four-Lane Expansion Between Kitchener and Guelph

KITCHENER, Ont. — Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria announced on Monday the awarding of $420 million in major provincial construction contracts through Infrastructure Ontario to construct twin multi-span bridge crossings over the Grand River, advance earthworks, and build grade-separated interchanges for the new 18-kilometer four-lane Highway 7 freeway between Kitchener and Guelph.

The project, a centerpiece of the province's $28 billion highway expansion plan, replaces an overcrowded, high-collision two-lane rural road that currently carries over 35,000 vehicles daily between the two booming Southwestern Ontario tech and manufacturing hubs.

Relieving Gridlock and Connecting Southwestern Ontario's Innovation Corridor Commuters and commercial freight trucks traveling between Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph currently endure severe traffic bottlenecks during morning and evening rush hours, causing lost productivity and high collision rates at rural cross-intersections.

"The Innovation Corridor between Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph is one of the fastest-growing economic regions in Canada, and our government is building the modern four-lane highway it needs," Premier Doug Ford said during an announcement in Kitchener. "Previous governments delayed this project for over thirty years. We are getting shovels in the ground to build the Grand River bridges and interchanges that will save commuters up to 25 minutes each way, improve safety, and support 2,800 good-paying union construction jobs."

Major Construction Contracts Awarded The $420 million infrastructure package finances:

• Twin Grand River Bridge Crossings: Constructing 500-meter multi-span prestressed concrete girder bridges designed with high flood clearances to protect river ecology.
• Highway 85 and Wellington Road Interchanges: Constructing multi-lane grade-separated flyover ramps and automated LED lighting.
• Eco-Passage Wildlife Corridors: Constructing two dedicated subterranean wildlife crossings with native plantings.

Municipal mayors in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph, the Ontario Trucking Association, and building trades labor unions commended the provincial contracts, emphasizing that the new freeway provides vital freight connectivity for advanced manufacturing.