Cheaper Confederation Bridge trips turning into traffic at businesses near Borden-Carleton

Tourism operators near the P.E.I. end of the Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick say they are seeing more customers than other summers — and lower bridge tolls may be part of the reason.

Effective Aug. 1, the cost of a round-trip on the federally supported bridge fell from $50.25 per carload to just $20. That’s on top of polling suggesting more Canadians would vacation at home this summer rather than head south to the United States, and a federal move to remove entry fees at national parks and historic sites. 

Austin Keough, 16, has been scooping out ice cream for three summers at the Cows location in Gateway Village, located at the foot of the bridge in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I. He said this year has been the busiest yet, though his arm has been getting sore from the increased business.

“Usually around this time of year, it cools off,” Keough said Thursday. But this year “it keeps staying steady throughout.”

Keough said customers come in almost daily asking Cows staff whether such long lines at the bridge are normal — and while they’re in there, they’re not hesitating to splurge.

“I just hear them talking amongst themselves about how they can spend more here and upgrade the scoops and get better cones… from the money they’re saving on the bridge toll,” he said.

The downsides? Apart from scooping-arm pain, the teenager said he’s had to leave extra time to get from his home to the shop in the last four weeks.  

“A lot of people are happy about it. A lot of people [are] leaving the Island more, a lot of people coming here — it’s just great for the economy,” Keough said.

P.E.I.’s already-busy month of August got a boost from extra bridge traffic after $20 toll came in

It’s been nearly a month since tolls for a round trip on the Confederation Bridge were cut by nearly two-thirds, to $20 per car. Some in the tourism industry say they’re seeing a spike in traffic as a result, during a summer that had already been a busy one. CBC’s Wayne Thibodeau has the story.

‘Busier than last year’

Linda Gilbert is one of the owners of Island Chocolates in the small community of Victoria, a 20-minute drive from the bridge. She said the shop has been doing well, but she is not sure if the reduced bridge toll is the only reason. 

“It’s probably been busier than last year. It’s growing each year, right? And some of it is because Victoria’s becoming better and better known. So we’re pretty happy with the volume,” Gilbert said. 

She expects the impact of the lower bridge toll will be more noticeable to businesses come fall. 

“We’ve certainly had a lot of talk about it and a lot of local people talking about going to New Brunswick,” Gilbert said. 

“I think we’ll see a lot more as we get into September, in the fall, when Maritimers can come over for a shorter time. It does make a difference.”

Busy even before price dropped

Confederation Bridge manager Alexis Reynaud said it was a busy summer even before the tolls were reduced, adding that bridge traffic is up 10 per cent compared to last year.

“It’s been a busier summer than previous years — actually, the whole year, not just the summer,” Reynaud said. 

“So far it looks like we’re on the same trend as the beginning of the year, just more traffic in general.”

Reynaud said it’s hard to say what impact the toll cut will have going forward, but he predicts more people will be taking day or weekend trips to and from the Island this fall.