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, 355.4 kilometres (220.8 mi) 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During the large-scale downloading of many provincial highways in 1997, many connecting links were repealed when their parent highways were decommissioned.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in some cases, where a highway terminated in a city, only the connecting links through the urbanized areas were repealed, while the rest of the highway remained under provincial jurisdiction.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]
| Highway | Municipality (community) | Local street name(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
 Highway 3 | Aylmer | Talbot Street | 2.25 km (1.40 mi) |
| Windsor | Huron Church Road | 3.75 km (2.33 mi) | |
| Haldimand (Cayuga) | Talbot Road | 1.25 km (0.78 mi) | |
| Haldimand (Dunnville) | Broad Street George Street Main Street | 4.65 km (2.89 mi) | |
| Haldimand (Jarvis) | Talbot Street | 1.65 km (1.03 mi) | |
| Norfolk (Delhi) | King Street James Street | 2.10 km (1.30 mi) | |
| Norfolk (Simcoe) | Queensway East Queensway West | 4.00 km (2.49 mi) | |
 Highway 4 | Central Huron (Clinton) | Victoria Street | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) |
| South Huron (Exeter) | Main Street | 3.15 km (1.96 mi) | |
| Lucan Biddulph (Lucan) | Main Street | 2.00 km (1.24 mi) | |
 Highway 6 | South Bruce Peninsula (Wiarton) | Berford Street | 2.00 km (1.24 mi) |
| Chatsworth | Garafraxa Street | 0.55 km (0.34 mi) | |
| West Grey (Durham) | Garafraxa Street | 2.25 km (1.40 mi) | |
| Haldimand (Hagersville) | Main Street | 1.60 km (0.99 mi) | |
| Haldimand (Jarvis) | Main Street | 2.30 km (1.43 mi) | |
| Centre Wellington (Fergus) | St. David Street Tower Street Bridge Street | 3.00 km (1.86 mi) | |
| Guelph | Woolwich Street Woodlawn Road. | 2.55 km (1.58 mi) | |
| Wellington North (Arthur) | Smith Street George Street | 1.90 km (1.18 mi) | |
| Wellington North (Mount Forest) | Main Street Market Street | 2.65 km (1.65 mi) | |
| NEMI (Little Current) | Meredith Street East Manitowaning Road | 1.60 km (0.99 mi) | |
| Espanola | Centre Avenue | 4.10 km (2.55 mi) | |
 Highway 6 / Highway 10 | Owen Sound | Highways 6/10 9th Avenue East | 1.20 km (0.75 mi) |
 Highway 6 / Highway 21 | Owen Sound | Highways 6/21 10th Avenue West | 2.65 km (1.65 mi) |
 Highway 7 | Halton Hills (Acton) | Queen Street Young Street Mill Street Main Street | 2.80 km (1.74 mi) |
| Halton Hills (Georgetown) | Guelph Street Main Street | 5.10 km (3.17 mi) | |
| Stratford | Erie Street | 4.00 km (2.49 mi) | |
| Guelph | Woodlawn Road Wellington Street Wyndham Street York Road | 10.00 km (6.21 mi) | |
| Marmora and Lake | Matthew Street | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) | |
| Havelock-Belmont-Methuen (Havelock) | Ottawa Street | 1.90 km (1.18 mi) | |
| Kawartha Lakes (Omemee) | King Street | 2.35 km (1.46 mi) | |
 Highway 7 / Highway 8 | Stratford | Ontario Street | 3.25 km (2.02 mi) |
| Highway 8 | Central Huron (Clinton) | Huron Street Ontario Street | 2.10 km (1.30 mi) |
| Goderich | Toronto Street Huron Road Elgin Avenue | 2.10 km (1.30 mi) | |
| Huron East (Seaforth) | Goderich Street | 1.45 km (0.90 mi) | |
| Stratford | Huron Street | 2.55 km (1.58 mi) | |
| West Perth (Mitchell) | Ontario Road Huron Road | 2.90 km (1.80 mi) | |
 Highway 9 | South Bruce (Mildmay) | Elora Street | 1.85 km (1.15 mi) |
| Minto (Clifford) | Elora Street | 1.75 km (1.09 mi) | |
| Minto (Harriston) | Elora Street | 0.80 km (0.50 mi) | |
| Highway 10 | Shelburne | Owen Sound Street | 1.20 km (0.75 mi) |
| Grey Highlands (Markdale) | Toronto Street | 1.45 km (0.90 mi) | |
| Grey Highlands (Flesherton) | Sydenham Street Toronto Street | 0.55 km (0.34 mi) | |
 Highway 10 / Highway 89 | Shelburne | Main Street | 0.95 km (0.59 mi) |
 Highway 11 | Hearst | Front Street (west of Sixth Street) | 1.75 km (1.09 mi) |
| Kapuskasing | Government Road (Clear Lake Road westerly to Bonnieview Road) | 6.80 km (4.23 mi) | |
| Fort Frances | Scott Street Rainy River Colonization Road Mill Road | 4.75 km (2.95 mi) | |
| Rainy River | Atwood Avenue | 2.70 km (1.68 mi) | |
 Highway 11 / Highway 71 | Fort Frances | Kings Highway Rainy River Colonization Road Third Avenue Central Avenue Church Street | 4.30 km (2.67 mi) |
 Highway 15 | Smiths Falls | Lombard Street Beckwith Street Elmsley Street Cornelia Street Union Street | 4.65 km (2.89 mi) |
 Highway 17 | Blind River | Causley Street (west of Lot 11/12 Concession 1 Stricker) | 4.35 km (2.70 mi) |
| Sault Ste. Marie | Trunk Road Black Road Second Line East Great Northern Road | 19.40 km (12.05 mi) | |
| West Nipissing (Sturgeon Falls) | Front Street (west of Coursol Road) | 2.40 km (1.49 mi) | |
| Dryden | Government Road Grand Trunk Avenue | 4.70 km (2.92 mi) | |
 Highway 19 | Tillsonburg | Broadway Street Oxford Street Simcoe Street Vienna Street | 5.45 km (3.39 mi) |
| Highway 21 | Saugeen Shores (Port Elgin) | Goderich Street | 4.25 km (2.64 mi) |
| Saugeen Shores (Southampton) | Albert Street Railway Street | 5.55 km (3.45 mi) | |
| Goderich | Victoria Street Bayfield Road Britannia Road | 2.55 km (1.58 mi) | |
| Lambton Shores (Forest) | Main Street King Street | 3.55 km (2.21 mi) | |
| Lambton Shores (Grand Bend) | Ontario Street | 3.00 km (1.86 mi) | |
 Highway 23 | North Perth (Listowel) | Main Street Wallace Avenue | 2.45 km (1.52 mi) |
| West Perth (Mitchell) | Blanshard Road Saint George Street | 2.10 km (1.30 mi) | |
| Minto (Harriston) | Arthur Street | 0.65 km (0.40 mi) | |
 Highway 24 | Brantford | King George Road | 2.30 km (1.43 mi) |
| Norfolk (Simcoe) | Norfolk Street | 2.55 km (1.58 mi) | |
 Highway 26 | Barrie | Bayfield Street | 2.40 km (1.49 mi) |
| Clearview (Stayner) | King Street Main Street | 2.00 km (1.24 mi) | |
| Collingwood | Lakeshore Street Front Street First Street Huron Street Hume Street Pretty River Parkway | 11.10 km (6.90 mi) | |
| The Blue Mountains (Thornbury) | Arthur Street King Street | 2.40 km (1.49 mi) | |
| Meaford | Sykes Street | 3.45 km (2.14 mi) | |
| Owen Sound | Highway 26 16th Street East | 2.90 km (1.80 mi) | |
 Highway 28 | Bancroft | Monck Road Bridge Street | 3.85 km (2.39 mi) |
 Highway 33 | Loyalist Township (Bath) | Main Street | 2.75 km (1.71 mi) |
| Prince Edward (Picton) | Main Street Bridge Street | 2.70 km (1.68 mi) | |
 Highway 34 | Champlain (Vankleek Hill) | High Street Queen Street | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) |
| Hawkesbury | McGill Street Main Street East John Street | 2.25 km (1.40 mi) | |
 Highway 37 | Tweed (Tweed) | Bridgewater Road Victoria Street Georgetown Street | 2.10 km (1.30 mi) |
 Highway 40 | Chatham-Kent (Chatham) | Grand Avenue East Saint Clair Street | 7.60 km (4.72 mi) |
| Chatham-Kent (Wallaceburg) | Dufferin Avenue McNaughton Avenue Murray Street | 4.20 km (2.61 mi) | |
 Highway 41 | Bonnechere Valley (Eganville) | Bridge Street Queen Street Patrick Street Alice Street | 1.20 km (0.75 mi) |
 Highway 41 / Highway 60 | Bonnechere Valley (Eganville) | Bonnechere Street | 0.80 km (0.50 mi) |
 Highway 41 / Highway 148 | Pembroke | Pembroke Street East McKay Street River Road Muskrat Drive Olympic Drive | 6.15 km (3.82 mi) |
| Highway 60 | Bonnechere Valley (Eganville) | Bonnechere Street Cobden Road | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) |
| Madawaska Valley (Barry's Bay) | Opeongo Road | 1.40 km (0.87 mi) | |
 Highway 60 / Highway 132 | Renfrew | O'Brien Street Coumbes Street Raglan Street Stewart Street (Highway 60 only) Lisgar Avenue (Highway 132 only) Munro Avenue (Highway 132 only) | 6.80 km (4.23 mi) |
 Highway 62 | Bancroft | Mill Street Hastings Street | 7.25 km (4.50 mi) |
| Belleville | North Front Street | 2.80 km (1.74 mi) | |
| Centre Hastings (Madoc) | Russell Street St. Lawrence Street Durham Street | 2.00 km (1.24 mi) | |
| Prince Edward (Bloomfield) | Stanley Street Main Street | 2.80 km (1.74 mi) | |
 Highway 63 | North Bay | Trout Lake Road (Highways 11/17 east to Lee's Road) | 3.35 km (2.08 mi) |
 Highway 64 | West Nipissing (Sturgeon Falls) | Ottawa Street (north of Highway 17) | 1.70 km (1.06 mi) |
 Highway 66 | Kirkland Lake | Government Road (east of Goldthorpe Drive) | 3.70 km (2.30 mi) |
| Highway 89 | Innisfil (Cookstown) | Queen Street Church Street | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) |
| New Tecumseth (Alliston) | Young Street King Street Victoria Street | 5.30 km (3.29 mi) | |
| Shelburne | Main Street | 0.65 km (0.40 mi) | |
| Minto (Harriston) | Arthur Street | 0.50 km (0.31 mi) | |
| Wellington North (Mount Forest) | Queen Street | 3.15 km (1.96 mi) | |
 Highway 101 | Wawa (Michipicoten) | Mission Road Main Street | 1.30 km (0.81 mi) |
| Timmins (Porcupine) | Harold Avenue (west of former railway crossing in Porcupine) Algonquin Boulevard Riverside Drive (east to Kamiskotia Road) | 21.35 km (13.27 mi) | |
| Black River-Matheson | Fourth Avenue | 0.65 km (0.40 mi) | |
 Highway 108 | Elliot Lake | Highway 108 (Esten Drive South north past Timber Road) | 5.80 km (3.60 mi) |
 Highway 118 | Dysart et al | Sunnyside Street Maple Street Mountain Street Pine Street | 1.15 km (0.71 mi) |
 Highway 129 | Thessalon | Wharncliffe Road (north of Highway 17) | 0.87 km (0.54 mi) |
 Highway 138 | Cornwall | Brookdale Avenue | 0.95 km (0.59 mi) |
| Cornwall | Route to Seaway International Bridge | 3.80 km (2.36 mi) | |
 Highway 420 | Niagara (Niagara Falls) | From Stanley Avenue to Rainbow Bridge | 1.50 km (0.93 mi) |
 Highway 520 | Burk's Falls | From South Limit of Burk's Falls to Ryerson Crescent | 1.05 km (0.65 mi) |
 Highway 522 | Powassan (Trout Creek) | From junction of Highway 522B, southerly to Barrett St | 0.55 km (0.34 mi) |
 Highway 533 | Mattawa | First Street and Main Street (east of Highway 17) | 0.95 km (0.59 mi) |
 Highway 540 | NEMI (Little Current) | Meredith Street (Highway 6 to Worthington Street) Worthington Street (south of Meredith Street) | 0.95 km (0.59 mi) |
 Highway 550 | Sault Ste. Marie | Second Line West from Great Northern Road westerly | 2.21 km (1.37 mi) |
| Highway 550B | Sault Ste. Marie | Carmen's Way (Second Line West to Queen Street) Queen Street (Carmen's Way to Huron Street) | 2.88 km (1.79 mi) |
 Highway 594 | Dryden | Duke Street West River Road Aubrey Road | 3.90 km (2.42 mi) |
 Highway 631 | Hornepayne | Leslie Avenue (Second Street easterly to Becker Road) | 0.80 km (0.50 mi) |
 Highway 634 | Smooth Rock Falls | Highway 634 by-pass (Highway 11 northerly to Cloutierville Road) | 3.40 km (2.11 mi) |