This release was issued under a previous government.

When well-planned infrastructure makes it easier for Canadians to get to work on time, bring their kids to school, or get to the grocery store, the entire economy benefits. 

Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Brian Mason, Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation, along with Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton, announced joint funding of more than $1 billion for the conversion of a portion of Highway 16, also known as the Yellowhead Trail, from an expressway into a freeway without traffic signals.

Yellowhead Trail is a vital 25-kilometre corridor within the City of Edmonton that sees traffic volumes of up to 81,000 vehicles per day — almost 20 per cent of which are transport trucks.

This project will address bottlenecks on the Yellowhead Trail that presently slow both commercial and passenger vehicles by eliminating intersections, increasing capacity and facilitating a consistent traffic flow and speed. These changes will greatly improve driver safety and maximize the flow of traffic along this critical corridor that serves all four western provinces as part of the National Highway System. As well, they will expedite the transportation of goods to local, national and international markets, while supporting continued economic growth throughout Western Canada.

With today’s announcement, the City can move forward with more detailed planning design, including consultation, with construction expected to begin by 2021.

The governments of Canada and Alberta are each contributing up to $241,600,000 for this project. The City of Edmonton will be responsible for all remaining costs. This project has a total estimated cost of more than $1 billion.

“The Government of Canada recognizes how important modern and efficient transportation infrastructure is to growing the middle class and getting Canadians to work on time and back home quickly at the end of a long day. The transformation of the Yellowhead Trail in Edmonton means that people will spend less time on the road and more time with their families, and that faster and more reliable transportation will increase the competitiveness of local agriculture and resource industries.”

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Upgrading the Yellowhead to a free-flow, freeway standard will help create good-paying design and construction jobs. When the work is done, it will increase efficiency and mobility. It will also reduce congestion, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance trade and maximize the province’s export capacity to global markets. Yellowhead Trail is another critical route for commercial and private vehicles to travel into and through Alberta’s capital city, is part of the National Highway Network and is a major east-west truck route connecting Edmonton and markets across Canada, the United States and Asia.”

Brian Mason, Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation

“I am thankful to the Government of Canada and Alberta for recognizing the need to make this important investment in infrastructure that will make this stretch of our inter-provincial highway network safer, help preserve employment and strengthen our economic competitiveness.”

Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton