One factor that you guys haven't considered (unless I've missed it) in the 11 vs 17 debate for the TCH route to pick through Ontario, is that the 11 gets another little extra edge with starting locations in Eastern Quebec or the Maritimes because you can avoid most of the Montreal traffic by going through the Laurentians and Abitibi. In this case you never pass through North Bay so you'll be taking the 11 for sure.
Starting in Quebec City or in Trois-Rivières, and wanting to drive west to the Prairies, it makes sense to take the 40 to the Mtl North Shore, then the outermost bypass freeway (640) to the Laurentian Autoroute (15) which you take all the way north until it stops being a freeway, then you keep going all the way (it's already a branch of the TCH, for the record; Quebec Route 117) until you connect to the 11 in Ontario.
Geographically shorter but also, no Montreal traffic, nor Ottawa traffic (if that even exists, I don't recall it...)
