Photo provided by Bobbi Ann Brady's Office
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady says there is finally some movement toward replacing the nearly century-old Argyle Street Bridge over the Grand River in Caledonia.
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has retained WSP Canada Limited to complete the Detail Design and Class Environmental Assessment Study for the long-delayed bridge replacement. The bridge has been waiting for reconstruction for almost 20 years, and Brady says she has repeatedly pressed the provincial government for a timeline since first being elected in 2022.
Brady says she has stood in the Ontario Legislature six times to question different transportation ministers about the project, but has yet to receive a specific start date.
“Six times I have stood in the Ontario Legislature to ask various ministers of transportation to give me a start date for the long-overdue Argyle Street Bridge reconstruction,” Brady said.
While there is still no concrete construction timeline, Brady says the decision to retain WSP is a sign the project is moving forward.
The replacement project has already gone through several stages over the years. A Transportation Environmental Study Report for the replacement received environmental assessment approval in 2009, followed by work on the Detail Design phase.
A five-year review determined there were no significant changes to the plan that had been approved through the environmental assessment, and a Design and Construction Report was prepared in 2020.
The project has now been reinitiated to complete the Detail Design work.
Brady says she will continue pressing the province for a firm timeline for construction.
“To sum it up, what we’re seeing is some progress toward getting the Argyle Street Bridge rebuilt,” Brady said. “The bridge rebuild is just one of my passion projects for Haldimand-Norfolk, but rest assured, it will be on my front burner.”
For residents and commuters who have been waiting years for a replacement, the latest development does not provide a construction date — but it does mark another step toward getting the project back on track.
