As the spring rain taps on my office window in downtown Ottawa, Premier Doug Ford’s latest infrastructure vision has landed with considerably more force in Queen’s Park. Yesterday, Ford unveiled what might be his administration’s most ambitious project yet: a proposed six-lane tunnel running beneath Highway 401’s most congested corridor in Toronto.
“Gridlock isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s costing our economy billions,” Ford declared at a press conference held near the highway’s notoriously clogged collector lanes. “This tunnel will get people moving again while creating thousands of good-paying jobs.”
The premier estimates the project will cost approximately $8.7 billion, with construction potentially beginning as early as next year—but there’s a catch. The province wants Ottawa to cover nearly 40 percent of the bill.
Standing amid a backdrop of slow-moving traffic that seemed orchestrated to prove his point, Ford laid out plans for what he’s calling the “Ontario Flow-Through Initiative.” The underground passage would stretch 7.3 kilometers beneath the existing highway, adding capacity without expanding the current footprint.
Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney, flanked by hard-hatted construction union representatives, emphasized the project’s dual benefits. “We’re talking about 15,000 construction jobs over five years, plus the long-term economic advantages of reducing congestion in Canada’s busiest transportation corridor.”
What wasn’t mentioned until reporters pressed the issue was how the federal government has yet to commit any funding to the proposal. Sources within the federal infrastructure ministry tell me the tunnel plan landed on their desks barely 72 hours before Ford’s announcement.
I spoke with Melissa Thornton at the Pembina Institute, who questioned both the timing and approach. “We’ve seen this playbook before—announce a massive project, demand federal money, then frame any hesitation as anti-Ontario sentiment,” she said. “Meanwhile, critical questions about environmental impacts and whether this actually solves congestion remain unanswered.”
The timing is particularly interesting given the recent Abacus Data poll showing the provincial Conservatives slipping five points in the Greater Toronto Area, where traffic frustrations remain a top voter concern.
Ford’s tunnel vision represents more than just an infrastructure proposal—it’s the latest chapter in the increasingly tense federal-provincial relationship. Just last month, the premier skipped the First Ministers’ Conference, citing “grandstanding without real action” from Ottawa.
When I reached out to several GTA mayors for comment, the responses revealed a regional split. Mississauga’s mayor expressed cautious optimism about congestion relief, while Toronto’s city council appears divided, with concerns about the project diverting resources from public transit initiatives.
Transit advocate Jessica Moore from MovingForwardOntario doesn’t mince words: “We’ve seen decades of evidence that adding capacity—even underground—ultimately induces more demand. Six months after completion, those lanes will be just as congested.”
The proposal comes with some innovative elements. The tunnel would include dedicated electric vehicle lanes with in-road charging capabilities—technology currently being piloted in Sweden. It would also feature an advanced ventilation system designed to capture and filter vehicle emissions.
Environmental assessments haven’t been completed, though provincial officials claim preliminary studies suggest the tunnel could reduce surface-level pollution by diverting up to 40% of current traffic underground. Climate scientists I’ve spoken with remain skeptical of these claims.
Looking at similar projects internationally provides some context. Madrid’s M-30 tunnel system, while initially controversial, has been credited with reducing surface congestion and creating new public spaces. However, Boston’s infamous “Big Dig” serves as a cautionary tale, with final costs ballooning to over three times the initial budget.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna responded with measured language, noting that while “infrastructure investment remains a priority,” all major projects must align with Canada’s climate commitments and demonstrate “value for money for Canadian taxpayers.”
Reading between the lines of bureaucratic statements, federal sources indicate reluct
