Transport Quebec
Almost doubles its revenue share of Highway 25 bridge toll.
Quebec might be against tolls on the new federal Champlain Bridge, but it’s happily collecting a growing pile of cash from tolls on the provincial Highway 25 span.
In 2012-2013, Transport Quebec took in $10.2 million, 92 per cent more than the $5.3 million it collected the previous year, according to a report made public this month.
The province shares revenue with Concession A25 S.E.C., the private consortium that built and operates the bridge. Opened in May 2011, it crosses the Rivière des Prairies, linking Montreal and Laval.
The province gets a cut of revenue once it surpasses amounts set out in the contract. The threshold changes from year to year.
The new Transport Quebec report covers June 2012 to May 2013, the most recent period for which data has been made available.
During the 12-month period, the number of bridge users increased by almost 20 per cent.
The average number of daily vehicles jumped from 30,600 in June 2012 to 36,514 in May 2013.
Over the entire period, 13.3 million vehicles crossed the bridge, a 22 per cent jump compared to the previous 12 months.
Quebec says money it receives from tolls goes to the Fonds des réseaux de transport terrestre, which finances roadwork and public transit.
The province also gets a portion of toll revenue collected on a Highway 30 bridge that opened southwest of Montreal in December 2012.
Under the contract with the private consortium operating that bridge, the province was to get half of any revenue that came in after the first $3.08 million in 2013.
On Wednesday, a Transport Quebec spokesperson was unable to say how much the province pocketed last year thanks to Highway 30.
Quebec has said it is against tolls on the Champlain.
The government argues that because the new South Shore bridge will replace an existing structure, the situation is different from the Highway 25 and 30 spans, which provided new routes.