The premier of Prince Edward Island is asking the federal government to reduce the tolls for the Confederation Bridge to make trips to and from the mainland more affordable.
“And one of the added costs … is the fact that all of those trucks need to pay a toll either on the bridge or the ferry when it’s in service.” The 12.9-kilometre Confederation Bridge is Canada’s longest bridge and is a federally owned asset managed by Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd., a private company that has the exclusive right to collect all tolls until 2032.
At the time, Alghabra said Strait Crossing would receive an additional subsidy to deal with inflationary pressures. The company’s federal contract stipulates it can raise tolls when traffic drops off, as it did after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020. He said a federal-provincial committee could also look into reducing fares charged by the ferry service, which is operated under a federal contract by Northumberland Ferries Ltd.