The Ford government has awarded a new contract to manage the construction part of the Bradford Bypass, which will connect two highways north of Toronto, as striking engineers withdraw labour from the route.
The project is one of two highway projects the Progressive Conservatives put at the heart of their 2022 re-election bid, promising billions of dollars in new roadways as a solution to gridlock.
On Monday, the transportation minister announced a contract had been agreed to manage construction of the western portion of the Bradford Bypass expressway. Early work and preparations on the project, including the construction of a new bridge, have been ongoing for some time.
“We are well underway,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said, announcing the contract.
“You’ll see heavy construction on that Bradford Bypass piece very soon but a lot of the work to enable it has continued. We are full steam ahead in building the Bradford Bypass.”
Miller/Brennan has been awarded the contract to manage construction on the western portion. Earlier this year, the design contract for the 6.5-kilometre route was awarded to AECOM.
While the government announced a new contract for the route, the engineers who manage key parts of the design and construction are withdrawing their service.
On Monday, as part of an ongoing contract dispute with the government, the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario union confirmed it had removed its major technical engineers from the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413.
The move, the union said, is part of an attempt to receive an improved contract offer from the government. The union said removing its members from key projects, along with work to rule, will slow down the government’s ambitious infrastructure-building agenda.
In a statement sent to Global News, Sarkaria said the government was looking at ways to ensure the strike did not impact the project’s construction timelines.
“My colleague the President of the Treasury Board is working hard to resolve this issue,” the statement said.
“We’re looking at mitigation measures, but let me be clear. We’re moving full speed ahead. This project is too important not to build and we are moving ahead without delay.”