thousands of men were hired to construct highways in remote areas of the province from temporary camps, named bennett camps after then-prime minister r. b. bennett. this provided the necessary labour to open road links through vast expanses of wilderness in a relatively short period of time. beginning in 1931, certain routes were designated as the trans-canada highway, including the route between sault ste. marie and the quebec boundary as well as the planned connection to thunder bay and winnipeg.