Province protecting jobs and driving economic growth in rural and northern communities
The Ontario government is investing $2,181,352 to help Windsor rehabilitate Huron Church from Poole Avenue to Industrial Drive, including Industrial Drive signalling intersection updates, as part of their plan to protect Ontario. The funding is being delivered through the 2025-26 Connecting Links program, which helps maintain vital roads and bridges that connect people to good jobs, support the movement of goods and drive economic growth in rural and northern communities.
“This new phase of funding shows our government’s continued commitment to modernizing Huron Church Road — a critical link for travellers and trade,” said Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh. “By protecting Ontario’s infrastructure along the Highway 3 corridor, we’re securing the long-term future of Canada’s busiest border gateway and supporting the prosperity of the Windsor-Essex region.”
A connecting link is a designated municipal road or bridge that connects two ends of a provincial highway through a community, or to an international border crossing. This year, the Ontario government is investing $45 million in 29 projects to repair roads and bridges in 27 municipalities across the province.
“Over the next decade, our government is investing nearly $28 billion into highway infrastructure that will support our growing population and fuel our economy as we fight back against U.S. tariffs,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “We will continue to protect Ontario by supporting our municipal partners and delivering on our promise to make our province more competitive, more resilient and more self-reliant.”
“Huron Church is a vital link connecting residents to the United States, to our post-secondary schools, and to hundreds of businesses in the area,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “The road also feeds directly into Canada’s busiest international border crossing, which supports vital trade between nations. As we move forward with strategic infrastructure projects supporting growth and sustainability, we appreciate the provincial government’s continued investments in our community as part of a robust plan to protect Ontario.”
Eligible costs for Connecting Links include the design, construction, renewal, rehabilitation and replacement of designated municipal roads and bridges. Municipalities are encouraged to apply for 2026-27 Connecting Links program funding when the intake opens later this year.
QUICK FACTS
- The Connecting Links program provides funding for up to 90 per cent of eligible project costs. This includes a maximum of $3 million for road projects and $5 million for bridge projects.
- In Ontario, there are a total of 352 kilometres of connecting links, with 70 bridges in 77 municipalities.
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