Ford dismisses warning Hwy. 401 tunnel could result in potential ‘roadway collapse’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is dismissing a study commissioned by his government, which warned tunnelling under Highway 401 came with “potential for roadway collapse,” suggesting the 2021 research is “old.”

Ford has publicly pushed to build a tunnelled expressway under Highway 401 to alleviate congestion since September 2024, but internal documents obtained by Global News show work on the idea began as early as 2019.

As part of the previous, still unreleased studies into the concept, a 2021 analysis found the idea could pose “risks to public safety” and came with “potential for roadway collapse.”

Ford, however, is pressing ahead with the plan. He has launched a new feasibility study, swearing the tunnel will get built and brushing off the warnings.

“That’s old,” he said of the third-party study, which wrapped up in 2021. “Let’s get some proper people in there to do a full-fledged study; it can be built. We know it can be built and we’ll get that done too.”

Asked what would make the new study different from the previous, third-party analysis, Ford said he would look at the whole route.

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“We’re going to do a proper study from end to end, we’re going to get the proper equipment, going down, find out, there’s a solution,” he said.

The 2021 study has not been made public and the government has offered no indication it plans to publish it.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner called on the premier to release the initial studies.

“Instead of wasting time and money on impractical and dangerous vanity projects, this government should take meaningful action to address gridlock in the GTA by building affordable transit and connected communities so that people don’t have to spend hours stuck in gridlock,” he said in a statement.

Experts broadly agree with the premier that building the tunnel is technically possible, but have questioned if it is worth the investment it would require.

Ford suggested on Wednesday he had already started designing what the project would look like, despite the new feasibility study he has commissioned being two years away from completion.

He said his plan is to have a 19.5-metre-wide, three-level tunnel, with one level going eastbound, one for westbound traffic and another for transit.

“We’re building that tunnel as sure as I’m talking to you, and we’re going to continue (to) reach out to experts around the world,” he said.

“If they can tunnel under the English Channel, if they can tunnel through mountains and every other place, we sure the heck can tunnel along the 401. We’ll do it safely, and we’ll do it properly.”

The premier said he had begun discussing the idea with tunnelling experts.

“I talked to some tunnelling folks,” he said, before describing his three-level concept. “So, that’s what we’re doing and people will be thankful years to come, decades to come.”

Later in the day, he said the tunnelling experts he was referring to were the people “who supply tunnelling, boring machines” in places like Scarborough.

“I just wanted to bounce it off them,” he said. “It can be done.”

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