The Highway 400-404 Connecting Link has always been on Caroline Mulroney’s radar as York-Simcoe MPP, she said, and even moreso now as she was appointed transportation minister in a cabinet shuffle at Queen's Park this week.
“It certainly is a priority for me as MPP, and finding ways to move this project forward,” she told BradfordToday on Friday morning. “I’m very excited about it.”
Before the cabinet shakeup, Mulroney held the positions of attorney general and minister of francophone affairs, the latter role she is keeping.
Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey, who is an Orillia-based lawyer, will take over as attorney general.
Mulroney said one of the highlights from her time as attorney general was being part of a project to introduce community justice centres in Kenora, Toronto, and London, which will aim to keep young people out of jail.
Mulroney said she had not yet had a briefing of the transportation portfolio, but she added it is a bigger file than for attorney general in terms of its budget.
“Transportation is something that touches people across the province,” she said, adding there is a lot of opportunity for her to travel around Ontario to discover and push for various projects.
“It’s an honour to continue to serve as a cabinet minister.”
Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer said Mulroney’s move into the transportation portfolio is “good news for our area, as this is a high-profile position.”
“I look forward to working with Minister Mulroney in all aspects of her portfolio, which includes highways, transit, and active transportation. Her ministry can have such an impact on the everyday lives of all of our residents.”
Deputy Mayor James Leduc echoed Keffer’s thoughts, saying he was “ecstatic” to hear about the cabinet changes.
“It’s a good thing. It is certainly a plus for us to put our issues forward,” he said, adding having the local MPP on the transportation file “certainly can’t hurt us” when it comes to lobbying for the link.
“Minister Mulroney was certainly in favour of the link (during her election campaign). We have all the data we need. We can give it to her,” Leduc said.
“It’s a big portfolio. Hopefully she does well on it. It’s all good news.”
