The Ontario government is moving ahead with the next phase of its controversial Highway 413 project, issuing a request for proposals for design work on an extension of Highway 410 that will link directly to the future corridor.
The announcement signals fresh momentum for the Ford government’s plan to connect Vaughan, Peel and Halton regions through a new east–west highway network. The proposed Highway 410 extension would run 9.1 kilometres, stretching north from Countryside Drive to Highway 413, and west from Highway 413 to Highway 10, creating a direct connection between the two routes.
Once completed, the broader Highway 413 corridor is expected to run from Highway 400 to the Highway 401/407 interchange. The province says the project will help ease congestion in the Greater Toronto Area, cutting travel times by as much as 30 minutes per trip.
According to the government, the highway expansion is projected to support more than 6,000 jobs annually and add over $1 billion to Ontario’s gross domestic product each year. The work forms part of the province’s $30-billion infrastructure plan aimed at expanding and upgrading roads, highways and bridges.
“The GTA is the most congested region in North America, which is why it’s critical that we build new highways, subways and transit to get people moving,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s minister of energy and mines and MPP for King–Vaughan, in a news release.
Design work on the Highway 410 extension follows recent construction milestones. In August, the province awarded the first two construction contracts for Highway 413, and upgrades to the Highway 401/407 interchange have since been completed.
Despite the government’s claims of economic and traffic benefits, the project remains highly contentious. Environmental groups and community advocates have raised concerns that the highway would cut through farmland, sections of the Greenbelt and dozens of waterways across the GTA.
Vaughan city council has previously reversed its support for the project, adding to the ongoing debate. Environmental Defence has warned that the proposed route through the Humber River Valley could damage sensitive ecosystems, affect archaeological sites and increase flood risks downstream.
Advocates argue that paving over headwaters in the Humber watershed could worsen flooding as extreme weather events become more frequent. The City of Vaughan and Mayor Steven Del Duca did not respond to requests for comment by publication deadline.
