On March 27, a consultant representing land developers with plans for Clarence-Rockland made the case for upgrades to County Road 17.

Aiden Grove-White of StrategyCorp, which represents the Regional Group, appeared before United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) Council and said the road, in its current form, restricts both economic and population growth for the region, and particularly in Clarence-Rockland where the Regional Group has a development underway.

“The county and Clarence-Rockland have not really had an opportunity to get the benefits of that growth because the road acts as a choke point.” Grove-White said.

He explained that potential tenants for his client’s development said the road was too unreliable for the employment activity for the property.

From Trim Road in the eastern part of Orléans, which is within the City of Ottawa, to where it rejoins Highway 417 east of Hawkesbury, County Road 17 (City Highway 174 in Ottawa), is under UCPR or City of Ottawa jurisdiction. It was formerly part of Highway 17, but the Province of Ontario transferred responsibility for the road to local governments in 1998.

For several years, the UCPR has been attempting to secure grant funding from the Ontario government to widen the highway to better accommodate traffic and improve safety.

In 2024, the Ontario Legislature adopted a bill to begin a three-year process of returning the section of highway within the City of Ottawa to provincial jurisdiction.

As for grant funding possibly available to the UCPR for improvements to County Road 17, Grove-White said the province’s $4 billion Housing Infrastructure Program could provide assistance for road improvements, and the $51 billion federal Building Communities Strong Fund.

Grove-White remarked that improvements to the highway are part of the UCPR’s new Asset Management Plan. He said inclusion in the plan has been reflected well with provincial staff who have observed the UCPR is serious about the project.

“This was a very clear signal to the provincial government that the county was serious,” commented Grove-White.

He added that the construction-ready approach the UCPR is taking also makes it much easier for other levels of government to provide funding.

Grove-White said he will continue working with the property owners he represents.

“It’s the economy. It’s housing. It’s this road that enables both of them, as long as it’s upgraded.”