Groups continue calling for feds to reduce Confederation Bridge toll

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A national business federation and New Brunswick’s tourism industry association are hoping the Carney government will stay true to its word and reduce tolls on the Confederation Bridge.

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Frederic Gionet, director of legislative affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s Atlantic region, said the federation has asked the federal government in a letter earlier this month to keep its commitment to reduce the toll on Confederation Bridge connecting Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick by Canada Day.

This election promise is expected to cost Ottawa $85 million in the current fiscal year alone, Postmedia has reported.

“Ideally the shorter the better,” Gionet said, pointing out the sooner the tolls are reduced the earlier tourism in both provinces and agricultural producers in P.E.I. can benefit. “You’ve made these promises but now we want action.”

During the federal election the Liberal Party committed in its platform to reducing the tolls on the Confederation Bridge from $50 to $20 for standard vehicles, while also cutting in half fares for both personal and commercial vehicles on the Wood Islands-Caribou ferry and the Souris ferry to the Iles-de-la Madeleine.

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Gionet said the federation represents more than 900 business owners in P.E.I. and Atlantic Canada and he has heard from members who would like to see a complete reduction of the tolls.

He noted reducing the tolls would be a step in removing barriers in interprovincial trade and help P.E.I. entrepreneurs looking to expand their business distribution to outside of the province, as well as business owners in New Brunswick and other parts of Atlantic Canada that want to have their products sold in P.E.I.

P.EI.’s potato industry alone pays roughly $7 million in tolls a year for transporting their potatoes to market and bringing in equipment, fertilizer and other supplies for their crops, Gionet said.

Ginette Doiron, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, said her association has not heard any updates on the reduction of Confederation Bridge tolls.

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“If the promise were to go through it would be very beneficial for New Brunswick as it would encourage P.E.I. residents to come over and visit our beautiful province,” she said, noting the bridge toll can be a barrier when Islanders are planning a trip to New Brunswick. “Especially if they want to do a day trip it gets to be expensive, so a lot of PEI residents are not leaving PEI because of this.”

Doiron said her group is going to wait and see if lobbying or advocacy is needed.

“We’re staying confident they will keep on their promise and we’re keeping an eye out for it,” she said.

The federation has also heard nothing from Ottawa about when a toll reduction could be coming, said Gionet.

Gionet said the business federation has also asked for a clearly worded regulation or statute confirming the change is permanent, not a temporary holiday that could vanish in a future budget.

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“It’s one thing to go through one budget cycle, you get elected you reduce tolls and a few years later we’re all back at the same starting point,” he said.

The Confederation Bridge and the ferries and docks servicing the Wood Islands crossing are owned by the federal government, but the services are managed by private operators. Strait Crossing Limited holds the contract to operate the Confederation Bridge until 2032, while Northumberland Ferries Ltd. has a contract to operate the P.E.I.-Nova Scotia ferry service until 2027.

Katie Beers, press secretary for Premier Susan Holt, said in a statement that New Brunswick is supportive of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s commitment to reduce Confederation bridge tolls and making life and tourism more affordable in the region.

“We have made significant progress in reducing interprovincial trade barriers, and we support our fellow provinces and the federal government’s efforts to reduce interprovincial trade barriers as well,” she said. “We look forward to seeing progress on this file so more Islanders and New Brunswickers can enjoy our beautiful provinces this summer.”

Transport Canada did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

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