The unpaid money is putting contractors in financial peril and "preventing the people of Ontario from using a ready-for-use highway," LINK427 alleges. "This case is about the government abusing its powers to force to undertake costly last-minute upgrades to a major highway without compensation," according to the lawsuit. The money can't be released until the highway extension also gets what's known as a Substantial Completion Certificate from another independent, third-party consultant. Case about 'government abusing its powers'
GTA 8 MIL YOT DRIVERS
(Sue Reid/CBC)Ĭaught in the middle are Ontario drivers who can't use the highway extension, despite an independent, third-party road safety audit (RSA) that deemed it safe for public use in February, according to the lawsuit. In the meantime, a Canada goose, pictured here, makes use of the highway's shoulder. The process to resolve those disputes can't begin until after the highway extension is opened and the province makes the $144-million final contract payment to LINK427.ĭrivers are prohibited from using the new Highway 427 extension through Vaughan, Ont. The consortium, LINK427, disputes that. In a lawsuit filed this week, it accuses the government of stalling the opening of the extension so it can delay paying the consortium more than $144 million it is owed.Īccording to the lawsuit, which has not been tested in court, the consortium and the province are embroiled in other battles involving unspecified amounts of money for extra work done on the project but not paid for. Traffic lights are installed.īut the provincial government has told CBC News the highway, built as part of a public-private partnership, can't open due to safety concerns. To the naked eye, the extension appears complete: the lanes are painted, road signs are up. The $616-million extension of Highway 427 near Toronto sits unused and off-limits to drivers amid a legal dispute between the Doug Ford government and the private consortium hired to build it, CBC News has learned.