Wildlife Crossings
Wildlife crossings are cost-effective, proven solutions that protect wildlife populations and biodiversity, increase driver safety, and enhance landscape connectivity.
It's time to bring them to the Frontenac Arch, an area of high ecological value but also one of increasing wildlife road mortality. The upcoming Highway 401 expansion provides a crucial opportunity to incorporate these mitigation measures to make roads safer for everyone.
Animals deserve the Right to Roam
There are three major roads in the Frontenac Arch region that run parallel to the St. Lawrence River and severely hinder wildlife movement, resulting in alarming rates of wildlife mortality.
Over the last two decades, the A2A Collaborative has been undergoing numerous road ecology studies to evaluate the impacts of Highway 401, County Road 2, and the Thousand Islands Parkway on wildlife and connectivity in the A2A region.
Our 2023 Right to Roam Report is the culmination of this research, drawing from both existing data and our own field studies to offer science-backed recommendations for mitigation measures that will significantly improve connectivity and offer safe passage for wildlife navigating our landscape.
Wildlife crossings can help provide safe passage for animals across these dangerous roads. Unimpeded movement is vital to ensure that wildlife populations can freely move, find mates and access the resources and habitat they need to thrive.
Fast Facts:
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In Canada, there are 4-8 collisions with large animals every hour
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Every year, wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) cost Canadians $800 million—in medical bills, insurance claims, vehicle damage, and lost wildlife
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14,000 WVCs happen in Ontario every year
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Ontario has the second highest collision fatality rate nationwide — accounting for 17% of all fatal WVC in Canada
More than 20,000 animals are killed on roads in the A2A region each year
Map showing the three wildlife pathways fragmented by Highway 401, the Thousand Islands Parkway, and County Road 2, and road areas proposed for major mitigation along Highway 401.
Proposed locations of overpasses on Highway 401 within the Rockport to Waterton pathway. This area is potentially the most critical link in the Algonquin to Adirondacks corridor, supporting a wide diversity of species, including at-risk snakes and turtles, but also the highest rates of road mortality.
20 Years of Research: Where Crossings Matter Most
After two decades of research on animal movement and road mortality in the A2A region, we've pinpointed the most crucial locations for wildlife crossings on Highway 401.
We're targeting three critical areas between Gananoque and Brockville —places with some of Eastern North America's last remaining forest and wetland linkages:
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Landons Bay to Lansdowne: One wildlife overpass
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Rockport to Waterton: Two wildlife overpasses
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Jones Creek: One wildlife underpass
These proposed crossings, coupled with wildlife fencing, will increase driver safety and reconnect essential habitats. They will give diverse wildlife species the chance to thrive and move across this landscape.