- sur fac ed ▁road ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁war , ▁construction ▁res umed ▁on ▁road ways ▁throughout ▁Ontario . ▁The ▁express way ▁between ▁High land ▁Creek ▁and ▁O sh awa ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁while ▁other ▁sections ▁l angu ished . ▁The ▁Toronto – Bar rie ▁Highway ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁focus ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁High ways ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁Korean ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁st alled ▁construction ▁again . ▁Despite ▁the ▁del ays , ▁highway ▁minister ▁George ▁Dou c ett ▁officially ▁announced ▁the ▁plans ▁for ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁trans - pro vin cial ▁express way ▁that ▁year , ▁with ▁the ▁Toronto ▁to ▁O sh awa ▁express way ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁the ▁design . ▁Work ▁on ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁link , ▁the ▁Toronto ▁B yp ass , ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁but ▁it ▁would ▁not ▁open ▁with ▁that ▁name . ▁ ▁Ass umption ▁▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁( poss ibly ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁Highway   4 0 0 ▁was ▁number ed ), ▁the ▁High land ▁Creek ▁to ▁O sh awa ▁express way ▁and ▁Highway   2 S ▁were ▁designated ▁Control led - Access ▁Highway ▁No   4 0 1 , ▁a ▁move ▁sc orn ed ▁by ▁one ▁critic ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁thought ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁number ed ▁name . ▁Const ruction ▁was