The province of Ontario says the first phase of twinning the Trans Canada Highway will be done by 2024.

The government's new completion target was announced in last week's provincial budget by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy.

"The people of Ontario deserve a government that has a real plan to build," says Minister Bethlenfalvy. "Our government's Budget is Premier Ford's vision and our plan to cut through the excuses and act right away on the priorities of the people of Ontario."

Included in the budget's Investing in Northern Highways section, Ontario says construction on Highway 17's twinning work is expected to begin in May of 2022 after preliminary tree clearing and blasting work, and the first phase of work is expected to be complete by summer of 2024.

In March, Ontario announced it had awarded a contract to Moncrief Construction to widen the first section of Highway 17 from two lanes to four lanes, with work set to begin this spring. Construction is expected to create about 310 jobs for the area, with requirements to work with Indigenous partners.