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The Canadian province of Ontario has an extensive network of Primary (King's), Secondary, and Tertiary Highways, with county-level and city-level roads linking between them. Over the years, however, Ontario has turned back numerous highways to municipal government bodies, renumbered them, or upgraded them to 400-series highways.

King's Highway Shield Design used from 1960 to 1993.

In 1997 and 1998, many sections of the provincial highway network were downloaded to local municipalities (such as cities, counties or regional municipalities) by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation as a cost-saving measure. While highways were occasionally transferred to local governments in the past, the 1997–1998 downloads represented the most significant changes to Ontario's highway network. Many highways were completely devolved, while of others only short sections remain under provincial jurisdiction (Highway 2, once stretching across Southern Ontario, now is only a few kilometres long). Below is a partial list of partially or wholly devolved highways since 1997.

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King's highways

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Township road shield along former Highway 2 in Tyendinaga Township, Hastings County. Much of Highway 2 has been replaced by identically numbered county or municipal routes.
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Secondary highways

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Former Secondary Highway 506, now signed North Frontenac Road 506 as it is under township jurisdiction in North Frontenac Township[1]
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Tertiary roads

  • Highway 800 - Not currently assigned. Became Highway 527 in 1976.
  • Highway 801 - Highway 11 to Namewaminikan River
  • Highway 803 - Not currently assigned. Became Highway 101 to Nighthawk Lake in 1997.
  • Highway 806 - Not currently assigned. Became Highway 545 in 1973.
  • Highway 807 - Not currently assigned. Became Highway 622 in 1989.
  • Highway 808 - Not currently assigned. From Highway 599 in Central Patricia to Otoskwin River Bridge. Previously an extension of Highway 599. Decommissioned in 1983.
  • Highway 809 - Decommissioned road near Boston Creek
  • Highway 812 - Not currently assigned. Became Highway 502 in 1981.
  • Highway 813 - Decommissioned road near Sturgeon Falls (identified as Riding Stable Road)
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Recycling

Highway numbers have even been "recycled" (used more than once on a provincial highway), however the use tends to be as far as possible from the original routing, and generally a few decades' time separate each numbering, to minimize confusion.

King's Highways

  • Ontario Highway 49 – Originally Hwy 50 south of Bolton to Kleinburg. Deleted in 1961.
  • Ontario Highway 51 – Originally ran from Coulterville to Caledon. Became part of Highway 24 in 1961.
  • Ontario Highway 55 – Originally ran from Highway 53 to the QEW in Hamilton. Deleted in 1961.
  • Ontario Highway 70 – Originally ran from Highway 71 West of Emo to Highway 17 in Longbow Corner. Became part of Highway 71 in 1961.
  • Highway 70A
  • Ontario Highway 75 – Originally ran from Highway 3 in Wallacetown to Dutton. Deleted in 1957.
  • Ontario Highway 77 – Originally ran from Highway 3 in New Glasgow to Rodney. Deleted in 1957.
  • Ontario Highway 100 – Originally ran from Thamesford to St. Mary's; became part of Highway 19 in 1962.
  • Ontario Highway 102 – Was originally assigned to Canada's first divided highway, now known as Cootes Drive. It bypassed western Hamilton, from McMaster University to Dundas. Now assigned to the Dawson Road bypass of Thunder Bay.
  • Ontario Highway 108 – Originally The Queensway, Hwy 27 in Etobicoke to QEW in Toronto. Deleted in 1954.
  • Ontario Highway 109 – Formerly Eglinton Avenue East, Scarborough. Deleted in 1954. Reassigned to a highway in Cardiff, Ontario which has now been renumbered.
  • Ontario Highway 117 – Originally Bathurst Street, Toronto from Steeles Avenue to Highway 7. Deleted in 1970.
  • Ontario Highway 123 – Original route ran from Highway 3 to St. Thomas. Deleted in 1957.
  • Ontario Highway 126 – Originally Highway 36 at Bobcaygeon to Highway 35 south of Minden (became part of Highway 121).
  • Ontario Highway 131 – Was originally assigned to Harbour Expressway from Highway 11 & Highway 17 to downtown Thunder Bay. Deleted in 1981.
  • Ontario Highway 133 – Originally Highway 28 to Fowlers Corners (became part of Highway 7).
  • Ontario Highway 134 – Originally Highway 41 to Pembroke (became part of Highway 41).

Secondary highways

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References

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