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Thank you, Erin.

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge we’re gathered on the traditional territory of Treaty 6.

I’d also like to acknowledge the Métis people of Alberta, who share a deep connection with this land.

Thanks to everyone for coming out for today’s announcement, including my colleague from around the cabinet table…

Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Whitecourt-St Anne, Oneil Carlier.

Thank you to the hardworking folks at Supreme Steel for hosting us here today…

Thank you to Roger Ward and the Acheson Business Association for joining us in this important announcement…

And thank you to Mayor Shaigec from Parkland County…

As well as all of the other business and community leaders here with us.

It’s great to join you here in Acheson.

The Acheson Industrial Area and this entire community is an important part of Alberta’s economy.

People rely on this area for good jobs.

It’s the hub of a very busy transportation system.

Anyone who regularly drives Highway 60 between the Yellowhead and Highway 16A knows how it can back up.

It’s a crowded stretch of road.

More than 15,000 vehicles make that trip on an average day.

If you’re one of those people, then you also know what it’s like to wait in frustration…

…as you’re blocked by one of the 50 or so trains on the CN tracks just down the road.

But this is more than an issue of delays.

It’s a matter of safety.

The population here is growing.

And more people means more traffic.

So we need a highway system that can handle this growth safely.

By twinning the remaining portion of Highway 60 between Highway 16A and the Yellowhead.

And building an overpass over the CN tracks to allow for the free flow of traffic...

We’re going to make sure it does.

Together, these two construction projects will support more than 450 jobs.

They’ll ease congestion.

They’ll keep trains and cars separate, which is safer for everyone.

They’ll reduce the chance of being rear-ended as you wait.

And they’ll help you get home just a little bit earlier.

To play with the kids.

To have dinner as a family.

Or maybe binge watch some Game of Thrones.

As the Edmonton area grows…

Safer and better traffic flow matters more than ever.

And not just in the capital region.

Because Highway 60 is an important transportation corridor link to other parts of the province.

Like the Industrial Heartland.

The airport.

The QEII.

And by improving Highway 60, we’ll allow it to handle oversize and overweight loads.

Earlier this month, we all got a good idea of why this matters.

I’m sure you heard about the 820 tonne splitter that moved from Edmonton to Fort Saskatchewan.

It was the heaviest piece of equipment to ever travel on Alberta roads.

It’s made-in-Alberta projects like these that need infrastructure to keep our economy growing.

Infrastructure like pipelines so we can get higher prices for our resources in world markets.

And public infrastructure like modern, safe highways that keep people and goods moving. like the projects we’re speaking about today.

My friends, we’re here to help make life better for people.

Albertans need high quality, efficient, modern highways and overpasses.

And we are happy to be here today to make sure Albertans can continue to rely on exactly that.

That’s why we’re investing in this project.

It’s why we’re investing in this community.

And it’s why we are investing in good jobs for Albertans.

With that, let me close by expressing my thanks and gratitude to all the men and women who work to build our highways…

From the crews out in the cold, making sure things get built…

To the engineers and planners who work hard to keep us all safe and moving…

We all owe you a debt of gratitude.

And when we’re driving past our highway workers, let’s all be sure to slow down, be safe, and make sure our workers get home safely to their families every night.

Thank you very much for having us here today.

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