Champlain to be replaced by 2022
Flaherty commits $3 billion to $5 billion to replace ‘busiest crossing in Canada’
OTTAWA – The federal government has formally committed to building a new Champlain Bridge.
In Thursday’s budget, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the new bridge is expected to be completed in 2021-22.
“This is ■ the busiest crossing in Canada for cars, trucks and buses, and is vital to the regional and national economies, with an estimated $20 billion in international trade crossing the bridge annually,” the federal budget said.
The government promised “close collaboration with key stakeholders, including the government of Quebec and municipalities ■ in the region, as the project moves forward.”
The new span is expected to cost between $3 billion and $5 billion.
But even as it promised money for the new bridge, Ottawa was slashing the budget of the federal agency that administers the current bridge.
The annual budget of the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. is being cut by $500,000 beginning in 201314.
The decrease is part of an effort to slash costs in government agencies by reducing “non-core activities while maintaining capacity related to core mandates,” the government said.
The transport portfolio was one of the hardest hit in the downsizing effort. In total, cuts in federal transportation-related activities will amount to $153 million, or 10.7 per cent of total annual spending, by 2014-15.
Among the victims was Transport Canada, whose annual budget will be decreased by $62 million.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will see its annual expenditures shrink by $60 million.
At Via Rail, annual expenditures will be cut by $19.6 million. The savings at Via will come thanks to reduced maintenance costs and energy consumption, the government said.
At the same time, Ottawa is giving Via Rail $105 million in 2012-13 to help the national passenger rail service improve tracks and signalling systems, repair stations and invest in new technologies.
“These investments will enhance the safety and efficiency of Via Rail’s operations,” the government said.
On infrastructure, Ottawa also announced it will spend:
$330.8 million over two years to build and renovate water infrastructure on First Nation reserves;
■ $150 million over two years to repair existing small public infrastructure facilities, such as community centres, through the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund. It’s not yet known how much will go to Quebec.
$99.2 million over three years to help provinces pay for flood mitigation measures undertaken after the 2011 floods, including those that hit parts of Quebec. It is unclear how much of that money will go to Quebec.