Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

6 SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2022 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure plays KEY ROLE in ECONOMIC PROSPERITY Doyle Piwniuk A s the MLA for Turtle Mountain, I can assure you my vehicle puts on a lot of miles every year. As the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, I think that experience brings good insight to the value, and potential, of strategic transportation planning and investment. Transportation infrastructure investment is a key driver for economic recovery and growth. The Manitoba government is developing strategic long-term investments that will not only safeguard the well-being of Manitobans and their communities, but also stimulate economic activity and create meaningful employment opportunities for Manitobans. This includes working toward a future vision that looks beyond our borders to establish the province as a national and international trade hub. Manitoba is well positioned, in terms of both location and transportation excellence, to make this vision a reality. Facilitating both east-to-west and north- to-south transportation movements is critical to connecting the region and to accessing international markets. Mobility and connectivity are achieved through a combination of airports, railways, ports and, of course, the provincial highway network. Manitoba's highway network connects east to west through Winnipeg, which is located at the centre of the country, along the TransCanada Highway (PTH 1) and links to Canada's coastal ports, which are vital to accessing international markets. Winnipeg hosts one of the busiest all-cargo freighter airports in Canada, and is also a major centre for Canada's transcontinental railways. The port at Emerson-Pembina at Highway 75/U.S. I-29 is the busiest truck-trade gateway crossing west of Windsor-Detroit, primarily shipping from the United States' Midwest. The Churchill port gateway is the only export Arctic export port and alternative option for Prairie farmers to export grain. All of these transport centres are further supported by Manitoba's vast highway network that reaches into the rural communities, resulting in producing essential goods and services for world markets. Manitoba produces about 10% of Canada's agricultural products and hosts international agribusiness companies, agri-food research and development, and major food-processing centres. The province also leads in aerospace and advanced manufacturing across several product categories and is home to North America's largest trimodal inland port, CentrePort Canada. Manitoba is dedicated to ongoing improvements to the road network, supported by a three-year, $1.5-billion minimum investment in highways infrastructure. Work is ongoing to identify key routes that support the movement of goods into and throughout Manitoba, and planning investment to expand the network of strategic highways that can support heavier loading [Roads and Transportation Association of Canada loading]. Increasing the allowable weights of key routes increases the efficiency of goods movement across the network. It enables better access to markets, which helps all regions to attract new industrial activity and to support or expand existing local industries and the provincial economy. A central component of Manitoba's trade and commerce network is Winnipeg's Perimeter Highway. Work has begun to prepare for future investments to upgrade the Perimeter Highway to a freeway standard as Winnipeg's population approaches one million people. A freeway-status Perimeter Highway will provide essential connections to trade corridors and ensure the efficient movement of goods across our borders. This freeway initiative will remove at-grade crossings, add interchanges/overpasses at all intersecting roadways and railways, and reconstruct all pavements as well as some major structures, such as the interchange at St. Mary's Road, which is scheduled to begin this spring. Manitoba has completed a number of safety improvements to the Perimeter Highway based on the recommendations of a 2018 safety study. Following the safety study, Manitoba completed the South Perimeter Highway design study in 2020 and has been addressing the access points and intersections where there is the greatest safety risk. The North Perimeter design study is scheduled to begin in 2022. However, work has already begun to close access points and median openings in the interest of safety and traffic efficiency along this stretch north of Winnipeg. Engagement with the public and directly impacted residents, business and industry partners, has and will continue to help guide the roadmap for the long-term improvements. Manitoba's economic future is built on a foundation of transportation infrastructure investment that supports growth and facilitates the safe and efficient movement of made-in-Manitoba goods within and across our borders. Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure is committed to a future of prosperity for our province and for all Manitobans. Hon. Doyle Piwniuk, first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 2014, was named Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure in January, 2022. PTH 5 at Lake of the Prairies, west of Roblin; MTI Photo

• Cover