P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz says he has a verbal dedication from the federal authorities that Prince Edward Islanders shall be receiving “constructive information” on Confederation Bridge tolls and Northumberland Ferries charges “within the coming days.”
Lantz’s workplace issued an announcement simply earlier than 8:30 p.m. AT on Friday evening, after he and Canada’s different premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa.
“Thanks to the federal authorities for listening to my considerations — and the considerations of all Islanders — and committing to ending these limitations for Islanders and our economic system,” Lantz was quoted as saying in his information launch.
The P.E.I. authorities has been arguing for a while that charging Island residents and companies to cross to the mainland by bridge or car-passenger ferry is unfair, particularly because the Confederation Bridge that joins P.E.I. and New Brunswick is taken into account a continuation of the TransCanada Freeway.
The seasonal car-passenger ferries operated by Northumberland Ferries join japanese P.E.I. with the northern a part of mainland Nova Scotia.
The round-trip toll for the standard two-axle automobile to cross the Confederation Bridge is $50.25. For the ferry service, the round-trip fare is $86 for passenger automobiles as much as 20 toes in size and seven toes in top.
“After a productive day of conferences with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister Dominic Leblanc, I’ve a verbal dedication that Islanders shall be receiving constructive information on the Confederation Bridge and Wooden Islands ferry tolls within the coming days,” Lantz’s information launch stated.
The gathering between Carney and the provincial and territorial leaders ran about 40 minutes longer than anticipated — and comes two days earlier than a federal election is likely to be called.
Following the assembly, Carney stated he and Canada’s premiers have agreed to develop a national trade strategy that might unlock commerce throughout provincial and territorial borders by Canada Day.
The assembly got here simply two days earlier than Carney is anticipated to plunge the nation right into a snap spring election marketing campaign.
Shortly after Lantz’s workplace issued its assertion, Liberal MP for Malpeque Heath MacDonald posted concerning the improvement on X, previously Twitter.
“Right now is a good day for Islanders,” MacDonald’s put up stated. “After a number of conferences and consultations with newly appointed Commerce Minister Chrystia Freeland and Prime Minister Carney, our gov’t shall be saying constructive modifications to the Confederation Bridge — particulars to return quickly.”
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey additionally posted on social media, saying: “The prime minister has dedicated to lowering the toll on the Confederation Bridge — a direct results of the P.E.I. MPs’ latest assembly with Minister Chrystia Freeland to advocate for fairer prices for our province. We’re proud to ship actual progress for Islanders.”
Marketing campaign primarily based on equity
Again in October, the Canadian Federation of Unbiased Companies joined the foyer by P.E.I. politicians and companies by launching an awareness campaign dubbed “Free the Bridge.”
It known as on federal officers and 2025 federal election candidates to “critically take into account” eradicating the round-trip toll that is collected as automobiles depart the Island (no toll is collected from automobiles driving to the Island from New Brunswick).
The enterprise foyer group criticized the “inequity of continued tolls” on the Confederation Bridge in comparison with different main federal initiatives, such because the toll-free Samuel de Champlain Bridge in Montreal and the Quebec Bridge between Sainte-Foy and Lévis in the Quebec Metropolis space.
Joe Sawler, proprietor of JustJoes Automotive in Stratford, P.E.I., stated on the time that the bridge toll was powerful on small companies like his.
“It provides prices to all of our items,” Sawler stated. “Whether or not it is tires or oils or pens or air fresheners — all of it will get labored into it.”
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