GTA West Corridor

The GTA West Corridor was identified in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe in 2005. At that time, further study was deemed necessary to refine the corridor and define what kind of transportation facilities, if any, should be constructed.

Early concepts of the GTA West Corridor involved a longer route running east-west between Guelph and Highway 400 that did not intersect Highways 401 or 407. A potential freeway in such a corridor, when combined with the planned expanded Highway 7, would result in a lengthy parallel route to the north of Highway 401 from Waterloo Region to Highway 400. However, analysis showed limited demand for such a route, and the environmental consequences of a new crossing of the Niagara Escarpment were considerable. By 2011, these concepts were discarded and planning focused on an orbital concept that would intersect with Highway 401 in Milton or Halton Hills to the east of the existing crossing of the Niagara Escarpment.

A preliminary study area map released in March 2011 proposed a bypass that would run around the southeastern edges of Halton Hills, lying approximately five to eight kilometres north of Highway 401, running primarily parallel before terminating in Milton. A revised preliminary study area in June 2012 since eliminated this proposal, instead proposing a widening of Highway 401 west of Highway 407 through Milton.[6][7]

With the corridor refined into a defined route planning area, Stage 1 of the GTA West Corridor Environmental Assessment was completed in November 2012.[8] Stage 2 began in February 2014 with the objective to developing a preliminary design for a highway within that route planning area.[9]

On December 16, 2015, the Minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca announced that he was suspending the environmental assessment process and that the project would be reviewed with an update promised in 2016.[10]

On February 9, 2018, the Ontario government cancelled building the highway for the GTA West Corridor because the expert advisory panel's recommendation stated that a proposed highway in the GTA West corridor is not the best way to address changing transportation needs.[11]

After the election of a new government in June, 2018, the Progressive Conservatives convened an expert panel to make recommendations on plans for highways in the Toronto region. The panel recommended that the provincial government negotiate with the private operators of the 407 ETR to encourage the routing of more truck traffic onto that route, alleviating congestion on the 401, and negating the need for the GTAW. [12] Instead, On November 15, the government announced it would be resuming the suspended Environmental Assessment for the GTA West Corridor, "in order to speed up travel and alleviate traffic congestion".[13] In September and October 2019, a series of Public Information Centres were held in which the preferred route and interchange locations were announced.[14]

On August 7, 2020, the province confirmed the preferred route of the highway. This included changes to the location of one interchange.[15]

The proposed interchanges (with original location mentioned) are at the following locations:

• The Highway 401/407 interchange
• Winston Churchill Boulevard south of Embleton Road
• Bovaird Drive west of Mississauga Road
• Mayfield Road west of Mississauga Road
• Highway 10 (Hurontario Street) north of Old School Road
• An extension of (realigned) Highway 410 north of Old School Road
• Bramalea Road north of Old School Road
• Airport Road north of Old School Road/Healey Road
• The Gore Road south of Healey Road
• Humber Station Road north of Mayfield Road (originally proposed interchange with Coleraine Drive north of Mayfield Road)
• An extension of Highway 427 northeast of Highway 50 and Nashville Road
• Highway 27 north of Kirby Road
• Weston Road north of Kirby Road (partial interchange)
• Highway 400 north of Kirby Road