Connecting Link

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]

A sign denoting the beginning of a Connecting Link. This particular sign is located on Highway 24 south of Cambridge.

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During the large-scale downloading of many provincial highways in 1997, many connecting links were repealed when their parent highways were decommissioned.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in some cases, where a highway terminated in a city, only the connecting links through the urbanized areas were repealed, while the rest of the highway remained under provincial jurisdiction.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.

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

HighwayMunicipality (community)Local street name(s)Length
 Highway 3AylmerTalbot Street2.25 km (1.40 mi)
WindsorHuron Church Road3.75 km (2.33 mi)
Haldimand (Cayuga)Talbot Road1.25 km (0.78 mi)
Haldimand (Dunnville)Broad Street
George Street
Main Street
4.65 km (2.89 mi)
Haldimand (Jarvis)Talbot Street1.65 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 4Central Huron (Clinton)Victoria Street1.30 km (0.81 mi)
South Huron (Exeter)Main Street3.15 km (1.96 mi)
Lucan Biddulph (Lucan)Main Street2.00 km (1.24 mi)
 Highway 6South Bruce Peninsula (Wiarton)Berford Street2.00 km (1.24 mi)
ChatsworthGarafraxa Street0.55 km (0.34 mi)
West Grey (Durham)Garafraxa Street2.25 km (1.40 mi)
Haldimand (Hagersville)Main Street1.60 km (0.99 mi)
Haldimand (Jarvis)Main Street2.30 km (1.43 mi)
Centre Wellington (Fergus)St. David Street
Tower Street
Bridge Street
3.00 km (1.86 mi)
GuelphWoolwich 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)
EspanolaCentre Avenue4.10 km (2.55 mi)
   Highway 6 / Highway 10Owen SoundHighways 6/10
9th Avenue East
1.20 km (0.75 mi)
   Highway 6 / Highway 21Owen SoundHighways 6/21
10th Avenue West
2.65 km (1.65 mi)
 Highway 7Halton 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)
StratfordErie Street4.00 km (2.49 mi)
GuelphWoodlawn Road
Wellington Street
Wyndham Street
York Road
10.00 km (6.21 mi)
Marmora and LakeMatthew Street1.30 km (0.81 mi)
Havelock-Belmont-Methuen (Havelock)Ottawa Street1.90 km (1.18 mi)
Kawartha Lakes (Omemee)King Street2.35 km (1.46 mi)
   Highway 7 / Highway 8StratfordOntario Street3.25 km (2.02 mi)
 Highway 8Central Huron (Clinton)Huron Street
Ontario Street
2.10 km (1.30 mi)
GoderichToronto Street
Huron Road
Elgin Avenue
2.10 km (1.30 mi)
Huron East (Seaforth)Goderich Street1.45 km (0.90 mi)
StratfordHuron Street2.55 km (1.58 mi)
West Perth (Mitchell)Ontario Road
Huron Road
2.90 km (1.80 mi)
 Highway 9South Bruce (Mildmay)Elora Street1.85 km (1.15 mi)
Minto (Clifford)Elora Street1.75 km (1.09 mi)
Minto (Harriston)Elora Street0.80 km (0.50 mi)
 Highway 10ShelburneOwen Sound Street1.20 km (0.75 mi)
Grey Highlands (Markdale)Toronto Street1.45 km (0.90 mi)
Grey Highlands (Flesherton)Sydenham Street
Toronto Street
0.55 km (0.34 mi)
   Highway 10 / Highway 89ShelburneMain Street0.95 km (0.59 mi)
 Highway 11HearstFront Street (west of Sixth Street)1.75 km (1.09 mi)
KapuskasingGovernment Road (Clear Lake Road westerly to Bonnieview Road)6.80 km (4.23 mi)
Fort FrancesScott Street
Rainy River Colonization Road
Mill Road
4.75 km (2.95 mi)
Rainy RiverAtwood Avenue2.70 km (1.68 mi)
   Highway 11 / Highway 71Fort FrancesKings Highway
Rainy River Colonization Road
Third Avenue
Central Avenue
Church Street
4.30 km (2.67 mi)
 Highway 15Smiths FallsLombard Street
Beckwith Street
Elmsley Street
Cornelia Street
Union Street
4.65 km (2.89 mi)
 Highway 17Blind RiverCausley Street (west of Lot 11/12 Concession 1 Stricker)4.35 km (2.70 mi)
Sault Ste. MarieTrunk 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)
DrydenGovernment Road
Grand Trunk Avenue
4.70 km (2.92 mi)
 Highway 19TillsonburgBroadway Street
Oxford Street
Simcoe Street
Vienna Street
5.45 km (3.39 mi)
 Highway 21Saugeen Shores (Port Elgin)Goderich Street4.25 km (2.64 mi)
Saugeen Shores (Southampton)Albert Street
Railway Street
5.55 km (3.45 mi)
GoderichVictoria 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 Street3.00 km (1.86 mi)
 Highway 23North 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 Street0.65 km (0.40 mi)
 Highway 24BrantfordKing George Road2.30 km (1.43 mi)
Norfolk (Simcoe)Norfolk Street2.55 km (1.58 mi)
 Highway 26BarrieBayfield Street2.40 km (1.49 mi)
Clearview (Stayner)King Street
Main Street
2.00 km (1.24 mi)
CollingwoodLakeshore 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)
MeafordSykes Street3.45 km (2.14 mi)
Owen SoundHighway 26
16th Street East
2.90 km (1.80 mi)
 Highway 28BancroftMonck Road
Bridge Street
3.85 km (2.39 mi)
 Highway 33Loyalist Township (Bath)Main Street2.75 km (1.71 mi)
Prince Edward (Picton)Main Street
Bridge Street
2.70 km (1.68 mi)
 Highway 34Champlain (Vankleek Hill)High Street
Queen Street
1.30 km (0.81 mi)
HawkesburyMcGill Street
Main Street East
John Street
2.25 km (1.40 mi)
 Highway 37Tweed (Tweed)Bridgewater Road
Victoria Street
Georgetown Street
2.10 km (1.30 mi)
 Highway 40Chatham-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 41Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bridge Street
Queen Street
Patrick Street Alice Street
1.20 km (0.75 mi)
   Highway 41 / Highway 60Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bonnechere Street0.80 km (0.50 mi)
   Highway 41 / Highway 148PembrokePembroke Street East
McKay Street River Road
Muskrat Drive
Olympic Drive
6.15 km (3.82 mi)
 Highway 60Bonnechere Valley (Eganville)Bonnechere Street
Cobden Road
1.30 km (0.81 mi)
Madawaska Valley (Barry's Bay)Opeongo Road1.40 km (0.87 mi)
   Highway 60 / Highway 132RenfrewO'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 62BancroftMill Street
Hastings Street
7.25 km (4.50 mi)
BellevilleNorth Front Street2.80 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 Street2.80 km (1.74 mi)
 Highway 63North BayTrout Lake Road (Highways 11/17 east to Lee's Road)3.35 km (2.08 mi)
 Highway 64West Nipissing (Sturgeon Falls)Ottawa Street (north of Highway 17)1.70 km (1.06 mi)
 Highway 66Kirkland LakeGovernment Road (east of Goldthorpe Drive)3.70 km (2.30 mi)
 Highway 89Innisfil (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)
ShelburneMain Street0.65 km (0.40 mi)
Minto (Harriston)Arthur Street0.50 km (0.31 mi)
Wellington North (Mount Forest)Queen Street3.15 km (1.96 mi)
 Highway 101Wawa (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-MathesonFourth Avenue0.65 km (0.40 mi)
 Highway 108Elliot LakeHighway 108 (Esten Drive South north past Timber Road)5.80 km (3.60 mi)
 Highway 118Dysart et alSunnyside Street
Maple Street
Mountain Street
Pine Street
1.15 km (0.71 mi)
 Highway 129ThessalonWharncliffe Road (north of Highway 17)0.87 km (0.54 mi)
 Highway 138CornwallBrookdale Avenue0.95 km (0.59 mi)
CornwallRoute to Seaway International Bridge3.80 km (2.36 mi)
 Highway 420Niagara (Niagara Falls)From Stanley Avenue to Rainbow Bridge1.50 km (0.93 mi)
 Highway 520Burk's FallsFrom South Limit of Burk's Falls to Ryerson Crescent1.05 km (0.65 mi)
 Highway 522Powassan (Trout Creek)From junction of Highway 522B, southerly to Barrett St0.55 km (0.34 mi)
 Highway 533MattawaFirst Street and Main Street (east of Highway 17)0.95 km (0.59 mi)
 Highway 540NEMI (Little Current)Meredith Street (Highway 6 to Worthington Street)
Worthington Street (south of Meredith Street)
0.95 km (0.59 mi)
 Highway 550Sault Ste. MarieSecond Line West from Great Northern Road westerly2.21 km (1.37 mi)
Highway 550BSault Ste. MarieCarmen's Way (Second Line West to Queen Street)
Queen Street (Carmen's Way to Huron Street)
2.88 km (1.79 mi)
 Highway 594DrydenDuke Street
West River Road
Aubrey Road
3.90 km (2.42 mi)
 Highway 631HornepayneLeslie Avenue (Second Street easterly to Becker Road)0.80 km (0.50 mi)
 Highway 634Smooth Rock FallsHighway 634 by-pass (Highway 11 northerly to Cloutierville Road)3.40 km (2.11 mi)

See also

References