highway 17 begins at the boundary between ontario and manitoba, where a large installation greets drivers in both directions. the highway is two lanes wide and travels over and between the surface features of the canadian shield; further west into manitoba the highway widens into a four-lane divided expressway. to the east, the highway travels through thick boreal forest towards keewatin, where the kenora bypass, highway 17a, splits to the north. through the town of kenora, highway 17 is signed but maintained under a connecting link agreement between the town and the province. full provincial maintenance resumes at the eastern town limits. further east, the highway merges with the kenora bypass. it meets the northern terminus of highway 71, then makes a gradual eastward journey through the lake-dotted kenora district to the town of dryden. here the highway encounters one of the few agriculturally-sustainable areas of northern ontario. the highway begins to zig-zag southeasterly, passing through several minor settlements before entering the mining town of ignace. shortly thereafter, it begins to curve to the south. it meets highway 11 east of the manitoba boundary.