No commitment on toll
Justin Trudeau says he hears concerns but would not commit to lowering or eliminating Confederation Bridge toll
Islanders hoping to get a commitment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lower or eliminate the Confederation Bridge toll should not hold their breath.
As part of an exclusive oneon-one interview with The Guardian Thursday in P.E.I., Trudeau said he’s heard the concerns about the toll, but he would not commit to taking any action on it.
“In regards to the decisions that the bridge operator makes around setting tolls, we respect their capacity to do that, but we’re always listening to Islanders and their concerns when they bring them up,” he said.
Trudeau made a campaign pledge during the 2015 federal election to lift the toll on the $5-billion Champlain Bridge in Montreal, leaving many in this region to wonder why no similar commitment was made for P.E.I.
Travellers must pay $46.50 to leave P.E.I. via the $1-billion Confederation Bridge.
P.E.I. Liberal Senator Percy Downe has been pushing his own government to lift the bridge toll in P.E.I. in an attempt to see Prince Edward Islanders receive equal treatment as the citizens of Quebec.
Trudeau defended his decision to make the Champlain Bridge free while leaving the Confederation Bridge toll at status quo, saying he would not “pit regions against regions.”
When asked why he is keeping his election promise regarding the Champlain Bridge but breaking his election promise on election reform, he got defensive, listing other election promises he has also kept, including raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians and lowering them for the middle class.
“One of the nice things about an independent Senate is senators can raise issues that they care about, and certainly Percy (Downe) has been very vocal about this,” Trudeau said.
“We’re always going to listen to the concerns that people raise and make decisions based on what’s in the best interest of regions and the rest of the country.”
Premier Wade MacLauchlan says he also raised the issue of the bridge toll with the prime minister during a private meeting between the two leaders early Thursday morning.
“I made sure that he is aware of that issue and that it’s being discussed in Prince Edward Island and I’m confident that he is aware of that. But that’s his baby.”