‘Huge milestone’ in Highway 7 expansion project announced by provincial government
Posted Oct 20, 2025 06:50:09 AM.
Last Updated Oct 20, 2025 11:35:55 AM.
The province has gathered some of the required permits to move the needle forward on the construction of the new Highway 7 according to the Minister of Transportation.
On Thursday, Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria was in Kitchener to announce an update on GO Train service in Kitchener, where he also shared some details about the progress of the Highway 7 project.
“I do want to report, probably for the first time publicly, that we actually just obtained our Department of Fisheries and Oceans permit to proceed on some of the major parts of the project from the federal government on Oct. 1,” said Sarkaria. “That is a huge milestone for this project.”
Those permits will allow the province to begin the design and tender process for the new bridge over the Grand River, a project that could cost anywhere between $100 million and $250 million.
The total price tag for the new-and-improved Highway 7 is estimated to soar past $1 billion, with no timeline for when that road may be completed.
Along with those permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Sarkaria noted that the province has also acquired the permits too clear the trees along the path of where the road will be constructed, which is just north of Highway 7 as it exists today.
The project was first approved back in 2007 and has received sparse updates since, including the completion of the Victoria Street bridge. MTO documents show that the Frederick Street bridge replacement project, another piece of the Highway 7 expansion, could begin in 2026, with a projected completion date into late 2027.
Highway 7 is often congested at peak hours as Waterloo Region and Guelph continue to grow in population.
Sarkaria noted that this project remains a top priority of this provincial government.
