Nearly everything you purchase arrives at a retail outlet by truck on

Ontario roads

BY MICHAEL M c SWEENEY

I recently had the opportunity to travel along Highway 401 from Toronto to London. Being from Ottawa, I don’t usually drive this stretch of the 401, but on this day, I was attending an event and was on the roadway by mid-afternoon.

I was escorted to London by an armada of freight trucks that were most likely making their way toward the WindsorDetroit border crossing with a payload of goods.

According to the Ontario Trucking Association, four out of five of the busiest land crossings between Canada and the United States are in Ontario, with more trade flowing between Windsor and Detroit than through any border crossing in the world.

The freight trucks that you see on roads and highways are taking goods produced right here in Ontario and making their way to American markets. Goods also make their way from Mexico and the United States to grocery stores, automobile manufacturers, and home improvement outlets across the province.

Our road network is vital to Ontario’s economic competitiveness. Ontario’s provincial government is right to focus on increasing public transit. However, remember everything you purchase arrives at a retail outlet by truck.

You can’t deliver car parts or fresh produce on the GO Train. Having an effective transportation network is key to Ontario’s jobs and investment strategy. The Ontario Trucking Association estimates over 90 per cent of all consumer products and foodstuffs are shipped by truck, either solely or in part.

Getting consumer products to their destination puts 200,000 trucks on Ontario roads on any given day. The economic vitality of the province relies on the delivery of goods and services over our road network to compete in the fast-paced business world.

Having 200,000 trucks on the road with daily commuters is a recipe for congestion. Congestion costs the GTA alone $11 billion per year in lost productivity and adds to the cost of goods, and creates carbon emissions.

The GTA needs new infrastructure to help move people and goods, or the region will quickly become overwhelmed. A new 400-series highway and transitway like Highway 413 will significantly reduce travel times for all drivers in York, Peel and Halton Regions.

There are a few undeniable truths. Our province’s population will continue to grow, more and more vehicles will be travelling on our highways, and trucks will continue to use our road network to deliver goods and services.

Highway 413 will be a catalyst to help Ontario’s economy, reduce travel time for GTA residents and reduce greenhouse gases produced by gridlock. We must begin to build the necessary transportation infrastructure today, so we can be ready to meet the growth challenges of tomorrow.

These opinion columns are excerpted from monthly columns published online through a partnership between ORBA and Metroland Media.

Road Building Academy

ORBA is delighted to proclaim the triumphant completion of the 2023 Road Building Academy. The event, which took place at the state-of-the-art BMO Institute for Learning (BMO IFL) in Toronto, was an unprecedented success, reinforcing ORBA’s commitment to nurturing the growth of the transportation infrastructure industry through quality education and skill development.

The Academy’s curriculum is designed to touch on four essential areas: Management and Leadership, Business and Professional, Technical and Safety, and Law and Legal Matters. This comprehensive approach ensures our attendees receive a well-rounded education that benefits their development as industry professionals.

The 2023 Road Building Academy, marking the 16th annual event of its kind, featured an array of 27 enriching courses. We were delighted to bring back eight popular online courses from previous years, along with the introduction of five innovative new courses, thoughtfully crafted to encompass the most pertinent topics in our industry.

The Academy’s focus on real-world applicability continued to be a standout feature of this year’s program. Course materials and discussions were designed to directly translate to the challenges and opportunities professionals face in today’s dynamic transportation infrastructure landscape. This emphasis on practical knowledge and skills is a cornerstone of ORBA’s commitment to industry education.

Moreover, the Academy provided a unique platform for networking and collaboration among industry professionals. Attendees had the opportunity to share experiences, challenges, and insights, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. This collaborative environment enhanced the learning experience, while also strengthening the bonds within our industry.

As we reflect on the success of the 2023 Road Building Academy, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated Education Committee. Chair Geoffrey Stephens from Capital Paving Inc., Debara Bailey from Powell Contracting Ltd., Cam Becker from Steed and Evans, Mike Deckert from FLO Components Ltd., Charles Quenneville from Platform Insurance Management Inc., Sina Varamini from Engtech Consulting Inc., Amma Wakefield from the Asphalt Institute, Andrew Weltz from BAUER Foundations Canada Inc., and Cameron Wood from Roto-Mill Inc. – your invaluable contributions have been instrumental in shaping this successful event. As we look to the future, we remain excited and committed to fostering the growth and success of our industry’s most valuable asset – its people.