Ontario Premier Doug Ford has suggested an ambitious plan to tackle gridlock across the GTA: building a massive tunnel under Highway 401. If built, the tunnel would stretch from Brampton to Scarborough, covering roughly 60 kilometres and serving as a dual-purpose expressway for both cars and transit.
Ford made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, where he highlighted the urgent need to address increasing traffic congestion and the lack of space for traditional highway expansion. “This tunnel and expressway will cut gridlock, support economic growth, and help get people moving faster,” Ford said.
The proposed tunnel would run from Brampton in the west, through Mississauga, and all the way to Scarborough and Markham in the east. It would connect with major roads and highways along the way, offering a new route to alleviate pressure on the existing Highway 401—the busiest highway in Canada.
Ministry of Transportation modelling paints a bleak picture for the future of Ontario’s highways, according to a release from the Ontario government. By 2051, travel times on the main stretch of Highway 401 are expected to double, adding up to 90 minutes of extra commute time through the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
The same modelling indicates that all of the province’s 400-series highways, including Highway 407, will be at or over capacity within the next decade. If no additional capacity is added, the number of hours lost in congestion could more than triple by 2051.
Toronto commuters already face the longest travel times in North America, losing an average of 98 hours each year stuck in rush-hour traffic, according to the Toronto Region Board of Trade. The board expressed support for Ford’s tunnel idea, calling it “big and bold” and exactly the kind of visionary thinking the province needs to get ahead of the mounting traffic crisis.
According to Ford, his government is set to begin assessing the project’s technical feasibility ASAP. However, the Ontario premier stopped short of providing a price tag for the project.
“Through this feasibility work, we’ll figure out the best way to get this project done,” he said. The study will include soil testing, consultations with First Nations communities, and a review of similar projects worldwide to understand how a tunnel of this scale could work.
“We’re doing a feasibility study, so a feasibility study will come in, and we’ll be transparent [about the cost],” Ford said on Wednesday. “But I’ll tell you one thing, we’re getting this tunnel built.”
Ford’s announcement has already sparked debate. While some, like the Toronto Region Board of Trade, are praising the idea, others are skeptical.
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie took to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday to say “The real question today is which of Doug’s rich buddies would benefit from this? Who has he made promises to? Because Ontario needs real solutions. Not a half-baked, back-of-the-napkin scheme to funnel tens of billions of your tax dollars to Doug Ford’s cronies.”
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner was equally critical, tweeting, “The idea that this would ever get built under this govt, let alone be good for traffic at all, is a complete joke. The Premier cares more about building a home for cars than he does about building homes for people.”
In response, Ford said, “It took Bonnie [Crombie] minutes to confirm what I already knew. She opposes building a tunnel under the 401 and she’ll cancel Highway 413. Bonnie will always say no. We’re saying yes to building and yes to getting drivers out of traffic.”
The proposed tunnel would be among the longest in the world, a feat that Ford acknowledged is “ambitious.” However, speaking on Wednesday he said, “But we’re going to get the job done, mark my words.”
Only time will tell whether this proposal will become a reality. For now, the feasibility study will be the first step in deciding whether Ontario’s traffic woes can truly be solved by going underground.
