TORONTO — The Ontario government has completed major widening projects on Highways 400 and 404 as part of its plan to tackle gridlock and support the safe movement of people and goods in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The new lanes will allow cars and trucks travelling north and south to benefit from faster, more efficient commutes, supporting the GTA’s growing population, and connecting people to more housing and jobs.
“Not only is gridlock costing our economy billions of dollars every year, it’s robbing Ontario drivers of valuable time and quality of life,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Expanding Highways 400 and 404 will provide much needed relief for drivers, helping them spend less time in traffic and more time with their families and friends.”
Construction crews have finished widening nine kilometres of Highway 400 from Major Mackenzie Drive to King Road, with crews adding one new general-purpose lane in each direction. Highway 404 has been widened 11 kilometres from Highway 407 to Stouffville Road, adding a new High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction which can be used by cars, taxis, motorcycles and other vehicles.
The Ontario government is investing nearly $28 billion over the next decade to repair, build and expand highways, roads, and bridges across the province.
Quick Facts
Dufferin Construction Company was awarded the contract to widen Highway 404 from Highway 407 to Major Mackenzie Drive. Brennan Paving and Construction Ltd. was awarded the contract to widen Highway 404 from Major Mackenzie Drive to Stouffville Road.
Green Infrastructure Partners was awarded the contract to widen Highway 400 from Major Mackenzie Drive to King Road.
A report from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis found gridlock is costing Ontario’s economy $56 billion a year.
The Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act received Royal Assent in November 2024, allowing the province to accelerate construction of priority highway projects such as the Bradford Bypass, Highway 413 and the Garden City Skyway bridge-twinning project.
Quotes
"Families in King and Vaughan have told me time and time again: enough with the endless traffic and standstill gridlock. We either sit back and watch as our 400-series highway network reaches capacity within the next decade — or we take action," said Stephen Lecce, MPP for King—Vaughan. "Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we got shovels in the ground and widened the 400 through a key bottleneck stretch in record time — and will continue widening the highway through King Township to save families time and money."
- Stephen Lecce
MPP King—Vaughan
"The expansion of Highway 404 and Highway 400 is a significant step forward in improving travel times for families, commuters, and businesses alike. These projects are just one example of our government’s ongoing efforts to address the infrastructure needs of a growing population and ensure Ontarians spend less time on the road and more time at home. We will continue to build and enhance the infrastructure that keeps our province moving forward."
- Daisy Wai
MPP Richmond Hill
"Our government remains committed to ensuring our infrastructure keeps up with our rapidly growing community,” said Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill. “The widening of Highways 404 and 400 is a significant step forward, helping to ease congestion and improve the daily commutes of drivers in Ontario."
- Michael Parsa
MPP Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill
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