NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says she is the “only leader” fully committed to finishing the twinning of Highway 3.

PC Leader Doug Ford committed to twinning the highway during a campaign stop in Kingsville last week.

“We’ve heard stories of parents telling their children not to drive on the two-lane portion of this road,” said Horwath in Leamington on Wednesday. “Lives are being lost, enough is enough.”

Horwath also claimed Ford has waffled on whether he would complete the twinning.

“Doug Ford’s scheme to cut $6 billion across the board to pay for a big tax giveaway to the richest people in Ontario will hurt,” Horwath said. “It’ll hurt health care, it’ll shut down rural schools and it’ll mean projects like twinning Bruce Crozier Way is out of the question.”

Ford said last week "I'm committed to 100 per cent, once we sit down with the community I just want to consult with them first."

Essex Liberal candidate Kate Festeryga says she supports twinning the highway and notes the Liberal's plan to widen the road as part of the 2017 to 2021 southern highways fund.

Horwath also said she would look at building concrete barriers along Highway 401 between Tilbury and London, also known as ‘Carnage Alley’ due to the number of serious and fatal collisions on the road.

Alysson Storey, the founder of the Build the Barrier group, was hoping for more information and a larger commitment from Horwath.

“We are happy to hear that the NDP is interested in keeping our drivers and first responders safe in Carnage Alley”, stated Storey.  “We do have some concern that the NDP position appears to be a bit vague on a situation that indicates a clear problem and a clear solution. And that solution is a concrete median barrier.”

Horwath also talked about the NDP platform on dental care during a stop in Windsor earlier Wednesday. She also reaffirmed her party's plan to create 15,000 new long term care beds across Ontario within five years.

Horwath says it will be paid for with an increase in the corporate tax rate, and a luxury tax on high-end vehicles.

“Increases on taxes for the wealthiest amongst us, so the richest folks, earning over $220,000 a year, as an individual will have a one point increase in their income tax,” said Horwath.

Other topics included the location of the new mega hospital. She said it needs to be decided at the local level.

There’s just over a week to go before Ontarians vote.  The three major parties have traded barbs over candidates and policies throughout the campaign for the June 7 election.

 

With files from The Canadian Press.