Criticism over OPP’s lack of communication during nine-hour closure of Hwy 401

Many people are wondering why Ontario Provincial Police failed to properly notify drivers of an investigation that shut down a stretch of Highway 401 for almost nine hours on Friday night.

Traffic was brought to a standstill in the eastbound lanes between Cedar Creek Road and Homer Watson Boulevard, with drivers complaining that they had little to no information from authorities.

SIU investigation

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed the closure stemmed from an OPP-involved shooting.

Around 4:30 p.m., officers received a report of someone jumping out of a moving vehicle on Oxford Road 6 and then being placed back inside.

OPP said they caught up with the vehicle near Kitchener.

"At approximately 5:20 p.m., Oxford [County] OPP officers stopped the driver of a vehicle eastbound on Highway 401, in the area of Homer Watson Boulevard, in relation to an investigation," an SIU spokesperson told CTV News in an email.

During that interaction, an officer fired their gun.

The SIU said the driver, a 45-year-old man who has not been publicly identified, was wounded. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Emergency vehicles at an OPP-involved shooting on Highway 401 in Kitchener on Nov. 29, 2024.

'Whole 401 completely closed down'

Many drivers found themselves stuck for hours with no updates on when the highway might reopen.

"It's really the first time that I experienced the whole 401 completely closed down,” said Pierre Seguin, who was travelling to Kitchener from London. “Traffic was backed up for four or five kilometres. It was just incredible."

Some drivers worried about running out of fuel, food and water.

"My car, at that point, was below a quarter tank of fuel, and it was freezing cold out," said driver David Contella. “I was starting to get really stressed about, like, are we going to make it home?"

Some drivers were seen going the wrong way on the ramps to escape the standstill.

Traffic backup on Highway 401 near Cedar Creek Road on Nov. 29, 2024. (Dan Lauckner/CTV News)

Criticism of OPP communication

Many commented on the lack of OPP communication during the incident, calling it both frustrating and worrying.

"I believe that the OPP should try to have two teams when this happens," Seguin said. "One team goes to the incident and one team goes to the previous ramp and immediately starts redirecting your traffic."

The OPP first provided an update on social media around 6:15 p.m., notifying the public about the eastbound lane closures. Their next update came just before 4 a.m., around 9 hours later.

"By keeping these people for multiple hours, you're creating another dangerous situation, and I don't think that's a good way to handle it," said Contella.

According to a CTV News Public Safety Analyst, clear communication during emergencies is critical to maintaining public trust and ensuring safety.

"There has to be a real strong communication strategy when these things occur. It's not a county road in the middle of nowhere, it's a major highway," said Chris Lewis. "We have to rely on them to do what's best for them, and their safety, as they conduct this investigation. There has to be notification to the public to avoid this area, to take certain alternate routes, to not take this on ramp or that off ramp, and that has to be done in a way that you catch as much of the public as possible, whether that be through radio transmissions [or] through the various organizations out there."

The OPP has acknowledged the frustrations of drivers.

A statement to CTV News read: “Oxford OPP understands that road closures can be stressful for motorists and would like to express gratitude for the patience, understanding and cooperation of the public. During investigations such as these, we strive to reopen roads and update the public as soon as practicable, while ensuring a safe and thorough investigation."

Traffic along Highway 401 in Kitchener on Nov. 29, 2024.

But questions remain if, and how, incidents like this could be better handled in the future.

"If there wasn't proper communication by the OPP, they need to look at that and say, 'Okay, what do we do to do better? And what will we do next time?' And I'm sure that process is underway, given that there are some concerns being raised," Lewis said. "If the police know there's people stuck on the highway in bad weather, then they have an obligation to start going car to car and bringing in enough personnel to do that, to check on the safety of everyone, make sure someone's not out of gas or someone's not in medical distress or something of that nature."

What should drivers do?

Friday’s standstill serves as a wake-up call to be prepared for anything on the roads.

"It's all about the planning and preparation ahead of time," said Nadia Matos, manager of external communications for CAA South Central Ontario. "You really do need to take some extra steps during those winter months because the cold weather can kill. Having an emergency kit inside your vehicle, and most emergency kits come with tea lights and with matches. You know, a tea light can keep you warm for at least two hours if it's used properly. Also make sure in the winter months you have at least a half tank to a full tank of gas."

What to include in an emergency kit:

• Non-perishable snacks and bottled water
• Blankets or warm clothing, especially during colder months
• Tea lights
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• A phone charger or power bank
• A basic first aid kit
• A portable radio for updates in areas with no cell service
• Snow brush and scraper
• Extra fuses (for the vehicle’s electrical system)
• Booster cables
• Plenty of windshield washer fluid