ST. THOMAS — The Ontario government has started construction to expand Highway 3 in St. Thomas, marking another milestone in its plan to protect Ontario by improving road safety and access to good-paying jobs. The Highway 3 expansion project will provide a critical link to Volkswagen’s new PowerCo electric-vehicle gigafactory, currently under construction. The Volkswagen plant will create thousands of good-paying jobs for workers in Ontario’s automotive sector and the new gigafactory in the St. Thomas Industrial Park will add thousands of highly skilled jobs in the region, supporting the province’s supply chain and broader economy.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making historic investments in highway infrastructure to keep our roads safe while getting people and goods where they need to go,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The expansion of Highway 3 will connect people to good-paying jobs, support housing growth and help businesses access the workforce they need to drive economic growth.”
Crews have started work to support the expansion of almost seven kilometres of Highway 3 from Centennial Avenue to Ron McNeil Line, where drivers will be able to connect to the future Talbotville Bypass. Once complete, the Talbotville Bypass and Highway 3 expansion will provide a direct connection from Highway 401 to St. Thomas, supporting residential, commercial and industrial growth throughout Elgin County as the province
continues its work to build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant economy.
“As our government continues to attract historic, job-creating investments from global companies, we are investing in critical infrastructure to support this growth,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By expanding Highway 3, we will strengthen access to the St. Thomas Industrial Park, reduce commute times for workers, and position the region to attract new businesses.”
In April 2023, Volkswagen Group announced a $7-billion investment to build an EV battery manufacturing facility in St. Thomas. With construction now underway, the investment is already creating good-paying jobs and driving economic growth in southwestern Ontario. Last year, crews began pouring concrete for what is expected to be Canada’s largest EV battery manufacturing plant, which will bring an anchor auto manufacturing investment back to St. Thomas and cement the province’s position as a
world leader in the automotive sector.
Quick Facts
- Twinning Highway 3 improves safety and travel times for drivers, supports economic development and residential growth in St. Thomas and provides reliable access to the St. Thomas Industrial Park and PowerCo site currently under construction.
- The Talbotville Bypass, which started construction in summer 2025, runs from Highway 4 to Highway 3 at Ron McNeil Line.
- Ontario is investing approximately $31 billion over 10 years to build, repair and expand highways, roads and bridges across the province.