Connecting Link Explained

The Connecting Link program is a provincial subsidy provided to municipalities to assist with road construction, maintenance and repairs in the Canadian province of Ontario. Roads which are designated as connecting links form the portions of provincial highways through built-up communities which are not owned by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO). Connecting links are governed by several regulations, including section 144, subsection 31.1 of the Highway Traffic Act and section 21 of the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act. While the road is under local control and can be modified to their needs, extensions and traffic signals require the approval of the MTO to be constructed.[1]

The Connecting Link program was established in 1927.[2] Today, of roadway in 77 municipalities are maintained under the program. These links cross 70 bridges also maintained under the program.[3]

In return for that particular road being downloaded, the town or county receives money and assistance in maintaining it, and is able to still sign and list it as a provincial highway, though not all connecting links are signed as provincial highways. Some connecting links (typically in cases of municipal streets urbanized before the provincial highway system was established), however, were never provincial-maintained highways at all, but rather local streets or even county or regional roads that the town, city, county, or region has assistance in maintaining.

During the large-scale downloading of many provincial highways in 1997, many connecting links were repealed when their parent highways were decommissioned. However, in some cases, where a highway terminated in a city, only the connecting links through the urbanized areas were repealed, while the rest of the highway remained under provincial jurisdiction. An example of this was Highway 10 through Mississauga and Brampton. In one unique case, Highway 11A, the entire highway was decommissioned as a result of it being a connecting link for its full length.

Most connecting links are busy municipal or county roads that were once provincial highways, and are designated by small yellow squares or diamonds with the text "C/L" or "CL" on them at their start and end termini. These are similar to, but not always related to 7000-series highways.

Current links

The following table lists the current connecting links in the province by highway.[4]

HighwayMunicipality (community)Local street name(s)Length
AylmerTalbot Street2.25km (01.4miles)
WindsorHuron Church Road3.75km (02.33miles)
Haldimand (Cayuga)Talbot Road1.25km (00.78miles)
Haldimand (Dunnville)Broad Street
George Street
Main Street
4.65km (02.89miles)
Haldimand (Jarvis)Talbot Street1.65km (01.03miles)
Norfolk (Delhi)King Street
James Street
2.1km (01.3miles)
Norfolk (Simcoe)Queensway East
Queensway West
4km (02miles)
Central Huron (Clinton)Victoria Street1.3km (00.8miles)
South Huron (Exeter)Main Street3.15km (01.96miles)
Lucan Biddulph (Lucan)Main Street2km (01miles)
LondonWonderland Road (from 401 Interchange to Sunningdale Road)
Sunningdale Road (from Wonderland Road to Richmond Street)
Richmond Street (from Sunningdale Road to northern city limits)
21.8km (13.5miles)
South Bruce Peninsula (Wiarton)Berford Street2km (01miles)
ChatsworthGarafraxa Street0.55km (00.34miles)
West Grey (Durham)Garafraxa Street2.25km (01.4miles)
Haldimand (Hagersville)Main Street1.6km (01miles)
Haldimand (Jarvis)Main Street2.3km (01.4miles)
Centre Wellington (Fergus)St. David Street
Tower Street
Bridge Street
3km (02miles)
GuelphWoolwich Street
Woodlawn Road.
2.55km (01.58miles)
Wellington North (Arthur)Smith Street
George Street
1.9km (01.2miles)
Wellington North (Mount Forest)Main Street
Market Street
2.65km (01.65miles)
NEMI (Little Current)Meredith Street East
Manitowaning Road
1.6km (01miles)
EspanolaCentre Avenue4.1km (02.5miles)
Owen SoundHighways 6/10
9th Avenue East
1.2km (00.7miles)
Owen SoundHighways 6/21
10th Avenue West
2.65km (01.65miles)
Halton Hills (Acton)Queen Street
Young Street
Mill Street
Main Street
2.8km (01.7miles)
Halton Hills (Georgetown)Guelph Street
Main Street
5.1km (03.2miles)
StratfordErie Street4km (02miles)
GuelphWoodlawn Road
Wellington Street
Wyndham Street
York Road
10km (10miles)
Marmora and LakeMatthew Street1.3km (00.8miles)
Havelock-Belmont-Methuen (Havelock)Ottawa Street1.9km (01.2miles)
Kawartha Lakes (Omemee)King Street2.35km (01.46miles)
StratfordOntario Street3.25km (02.02miles)
Central Huron (Clinton)Huron Street
Ontario Street
2.1km (01.3miles)
GoderichToronto Street
Huron Road
Elgin Avenue
2.1km (01.3miles)
Huron East (Seaforth)Goderich Street1.45km (00.9miles)
StratfordHuron Street2.55km (01.58miles)
West Perth (Mitchell)Ontario Road
Huron Road
2.9km (01.8miles)
South Bruce (Mildmay)Elora Street1.85km (01.15miles)
Minto (Clifford)Elora Street1.75km (01.09miles)
Minto (Harriston)Elora Street0.8km (00.5miles)
ShelburneOwen Sound Street1.2km (00.7miles)
Grey Highlands (Markdale)Toronto Street1.45km (00.9miles)
Grey Highlands (Flesherton)Sydenham Street
Toronto Street
0.55km (00.34miles)
ShelburneMain Street0.95km (00.59miles)
HearstFront Street (west of Sixth Street)1.75km (01.09miles)
KapuskasingGovernment Road (Clear Lake Road westerly to Bonnieview Road)6.8km (04.2miles)
Fort FrancesScott Street
Rainy River Colonization Road
Mill Road
4.75km (02.95miles)
Rainy RiverAtwood Avenue2.7km (01.7miles)
Fort FrancesKings Highway
Rainy River Colonization Road
Third Avenue
Central Avenue
Church Street
4.3km (02.7miles)
Smiths FallsLombard Street
Beckwith Street
Elmsley Street
Cornelia Street
Union Street
4.65km (02.89miles)
Blind RiverCausley Street (west of Lot 11/12 Concession 1 Stricker)4.35km (02.7miles)
Sault Ste. MarieTrunk Road
Black Road
Second Line East
Great Northern Road
19.4km (12.1miles)
West Nipissing (Sturgeon Falls)Front Street (west of Coursol Road)2.4km (01.5miles)
DrydenGovernment Road
Grand Trunk Avenue
4.7km (02.9miles)
TillsonburgBroadway Street
Oxford Street
Simcoe Street
Vienna Street
5.45km (03.39miles)
Saugeen Shores (Port Elgin)Goderich Street4.25km (02.64miles)
Saugeen Shores (Southampton)Albert Street
Railway Street
5.55km (03.45miles)
GoderichVictoria Street
Bayfield Road
Britannia Road
2.55km (01.58miles)
Lambton Shores (Forest)Main Street
King Street
3.55km (02.21miles)
Lambton Shores (Grand Bend)Ontario Street3km (02miles)
North Perth (Listowel)Main Street
Wallace Avenue
2.45km (01.52miles)
West Perth (Mitchell)Blanshard Road
Saint George Street
2.1km (01.3miles)
Minto (Harriston)Arthur Street0.65km (00.4miles)
BrantfordKing George Road2.3km (01.4miles)
Norfolk (Simcoe)Norfolk Street2.55km (01.58miles)
BarrieBayfield Street2.4km (01.5miles)
Clearview (Stayner)King Street
Main Street
2km (01miles)
CollingwoodLakeshore Street
Front Street
First Street
Huron Street
Hume Street
Pretty River Parkway
11.1km (06.9miles)
The Blue Mountains (Thornbury)Arthur Street
King Street
2.4km (01.5miles)
MeafordSykes Street3.45km (02.14miles)
Owen SoundHighway 26
16th Street East
2.9km (01.8miles)
BancroftMonck Road
Bridge Street
3.85km (02.39miles)
Loyalist Township (Bath)Main Street2.75km (01.71miles)
Prince Edward (Picton)Main Street
Bridge Street
2.7km (01.7miles)
Champlain (Vankleek Hill)High Street
Queen Street
1.3km (00.8miles)
HawkesburyMcGill Street
Main Street East
John Street
2.25km (01.4miles)
Tweed (Tweed)Bridgewater Road
Victoria Street
Georgetown Street
2.1km (01.3miles)
Chatham-Kent (Chatham)Grand Avenue East
Saint Clair Street
7.6km (04.7miles)
Chatham-Kent (Wallaceburg)Dufferin Avenue
McNaughton Avenue
Murray Street
4.2km (02.6miles)
Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bridge Street
Queen Street
Patrick Street Alice Street
1.2km (00.7miles)
Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bonnechere Street0.8km (00.5miles)
PembrokePembroke Street East
McKay Street River Road
Muskrat Drive
Olympic Drive
6.15km (03.82miles)
Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bonnechere Street
Cobden Road
1.3km (00.8miles)
Madawaska Valley (Barry's Bay)Opeongo Road1.4km (00.9miles)
RenfrewO'Brien Street
Coumbes Street
Raglan Street
Stewart Street (Highway 60 only)
Lisgar Avenue (Highway 132 only)
Munro Avenue (Highway 132 only)
6.8km (04.2miles)
BancroftMill Street
Hastings Street
7.25km (04.5miles)
BellevilleNorth Front Street2.8km (01.7miles)
Centre Hastings (Madoc)Russell Street
St. Lawrence Street
Durham Street
2km (01miles)
Prince Edward (Bloomfield)Stanley Street Main Street2.8km (01.7miles)
North BayTrout Lake Road (Highways 11/17 east to Lee's Road)3.35km (02.08miles)
West Nipissing (Sturgeon Falls)Ottawa Street (north of Highway 17)1.7km (01.1miles)
Kirkland LakeGovernment Road (east of Goldthorpe Drive)3.7km (02.3miles)
Innisfil (Cookstown)Queen Street
Church Street
1.3km (00.8miles)
New Tecumseth (Alliston)Young Street
King Street
Victoria Street
5.3km (03.3miles)
ShelburneMain Street0.65km (00.4miles)
Minto (Harriston)Arthur Street0.5km (00.3miles)
Wellington North (Mount Forest)Queen Street3.15km (01.96miles)
Wawa (Michipicoten)Mission Road
Main Street
1.3km (00.8miles)
Timmins (Porcupine)Harold Avenue (west of former railway crossing in Porcupine)
Algonquin Boulevard
Riverside Drive (east to Kamiskotia Road)
21.35km (13.27miles)
Black River-MathesonFourth Avenue0.65km (00.4miles)
Elliot LakeHighway 108 (Esten Drive South north past Timber Road)5.8km (03.6miles)
Dysart et alSunnyside Street
Maple Street
Mountain Street
Pine Street
1.15km (00.71miles)
ThessalonWharncliffe Road (north of Highway 17)0.87km (00.54miles)
CornwallBrookdale Avenue0.95km (00.59miles)
CornwallRoute to Seaway International Bridge3.8km (02.4miles)
Niagara (Niagara Falls)From Stanley Avenue to Rainbow Bridge1.5km (00.9miles)
Burk's FallsFrom South Limit of Burk's Falls to Ryerson Crescent1.05km (00.65miles)
Powassan (Trout Creek)From junction of Highway 522B, southerly to Barrett St0.55km (00.34miles)
MattawaFirst Street and Main Street (east of Highway 17)0.95km (00.59miles)
NEMI (Little Current)Meredith Street (Highway 6 to Worthington Street)
Worthington Street (south of Meredith Street)
0.95km (00.59miles)
Sault Ste. MarieSecond Line West from Great Northern Road westerly2.21km (01.37miles)
Sault Ste. MarieCarmen's Way (Second Line West to Queen Street)
Queen Street (Carmen's Way to Huron Street)
2.88km (01.79miles)
DrydenDuke Street
West River Road
Aubrey Road
3.9km (02.4miles)
HornepayneLeslie Avenue (Second Street easterly to Becker Road)0.8km (00.5miles)
Smooth Rock FallsHighway 634 by-pass (Highway 11 northerly to Cloutierville Road)3.4km (02.1miles)

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Law Document English View. 24 July 2014.
  2. Web site: $15M announced for Connecting Link Program – Daily Commercial News . 2011-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110728133544/http://dcnonl.com/article/id30268 . 2011-07-28 . dead .
  3. Web site: Champlain to receive $1.67m for Highway 34 connecting link | the Review . 2011-05-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110420031415/http://www.thereview.ca/story/champlain-receive-167m-highway-34-connecting-link . 2011-04-20 .
  4. Web site: Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Connecting Links Program 2021-22 Guide. Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. September 2021. December 20, 2022.