Annual Orillia's Mayor's Breakfast shifts to discussion about the future of Highway 12
At the annual Mayor's Breakfast in Orillia on Thursday, a new topic emerged about the potential for Highway 12 to be widened.
Local business leaders gathered at the Mariposa Inn while Mayor Don McIsaac updated the city's latest developments.
"Community first, helping the most vulnerable, strengthening the community," stated McIsaac of the city's main focuses. "And business retention and culture."
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The mayor gave updates on the city's reconstruction projects for the arena and waterfront along with other initiatives.
And then he took questions, which is when Highway 12's future took centre stage.
"It looks like there's a lot of traffic on those highways," McIsaac added. "So anything we could do to widen it would make it safer and better access to Orillia."
That purpose could be served by widening Highway 12 from two to four lanes between Highway 11 in Orillia and possibly beyond Highway 400 toward Midland.
The Orillia District Chamber of Commerce (ODCC) said the province has already been informed about the idea.
"We've brought it to situation tables," said Allan Lafontaine, executive director of the ODCC. "We went to Advocacy Day at Queen's Park and we're hoping for next year to meet with other chambers to develop this plan."
A stronger connection between two of Northern Ontario's major highways could also boost Orillia's local business and tourism.
"In the tourism industry, we're always looking for great access for the tourism public to be able to travel around," said Mark Downing, CEO of the Fern Resort just east of Orillia. "The widening of Highway 12 would be fantastic. The province acknowledged that its $180 billion investment into infrastructure could include widening Highway 12."
"You've got a government that's prepared to listen to all of these requests," stated Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "And is literally putting their money where their mouth is."
"I still bring it up to MTO," added Jill Dunlop, Simcoe North MPP. "We'll make sure it's on their radar for the future."
While McIsaac believes a Highway 12 widening is still "decades away," he did address the status of Fred, Orillia's internationally famous Christmas tree. He hopes to have a new and improved replacement tree in 2024 but does not want Fred's viral legacy forgotten.
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