The provincial government is working to make northern highways more safe for residents in the region.

During Question Period, Minister of Transportation Jeff Yurek detailed the new improvements and enhancements of highway maintenance standards throughout the winter season in northern Ontario.

“For our northern members, we are starting to implement new maintenance contract models that will improve highway maintenance services. The new contracts will include specifying the amount of winter equipment on a route, explicit patrolling requirements with the use of anti-icing liquids, and new winter equipment that will be more visible.”

Yurek adds that the provincial government has also made improvements to the Ontario 511 road conditions website, to better track snow plows, to see what route that truck has already covered, as well as more reports into hazards and traffic conditions.

The Ministry of Transportation says that their goal is to  achieve  a bare pavement standard  90 per cent of the time across the province each winter.

“Keeping our highways safe is all of our responsibilities. We have to work together to keep our highways among the safest in north America,” Yurek added. He stressed that drivers are urged to drive according to conditions.

Ontario 511 can be accessed via Twitter (@511Ontario), phone (dial 5-1-1), or web (ontario.ca/511).

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