Trans Canada Trail gets $3M funding boost, water route to be developed

The Trans Canada Trail east of Thunder Bay received $3 million today to develop 15 access points on the trail's water route between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.

The funding — which comes from the TD Bank, The Trillium Foundation and the federal government — will also assist with improvements to two trails, between Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay.

TCT Ontario board member Gary Davies said making the trail water-based was a necessary decision.

"It was going to be a hiking trail. That would have been wonderful, but it wasn't doable," he said.

Davides said he's thrilled the group "got the green light [to] investigate and see the viability of a water trail."

Valerie Pringle, the trail's foundation co-chair said today's announcement makes for "a happy day because such a big piece of this happy dream is coming together."         

The section of the TransCanada Trail between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie is 989 kilometres.

Other TCT enhancements include:

• The North Bay to Sudbury cycling route, 207 km along roadways
• The Lake Huron North Channel Waterfront Cycling Trail, a 370 km road cycling route from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie