CALEDON — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says construction on Hwy. 413 north of Toronto will begin within days.

But Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria refused to say when the highway will be completed and how much it will cost taxpayers.

The proposed 52-kilometre highway will connect Hwy. 400 in Vaughan with Hwy. 401 in Mississauga.

The controversial project brought a handful of protesters to the announcement.

Environmentalists have criticized the project as it will carve through prime farmland and put several endangered species at risk.

The province has awarded two contracts to begin the work, one to Fermar Paving for an embankment at the Hwy. 401 and Hwy. 407 interchange.

The second one is to Pave-Al to resurface Hwy. 10 in Caledon.

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