EDITOR:
The fee of $47 required to cross the Confederation Bridge needs to be reduced. Although fees are necessary to help with the upkeep of the bridge, we as Canadians have the right to an affordable toll. While we should be willing to help make sure that we have a safe and easy way to travel, it is hard when the cost of the bridge is half of what an average minimum wage worker is making in a day.
With P.E.I.’s constant changes in health care and fewer doctors and specialists, traveling-off Island is often the only choice for someone seeking medical care. In comparison to one’s health, the fee may not seem like much at the time, but when combined with housing, meals and other fees required to spend time away from home, these fees, on top of an already high bridge toll, can certainly add up.
To put these ideas into context, looking back to December of 2016, due to critical health issues within the family, it was determined that we spent at least $300 within a two-week time period on bridge fees alone.
While many people feel that removing the fee completely is the proper solution, I feel that there should be action taken to help relieve some of the burden this cost puts on the users of the bridge. Whether it be a discounted price for Islanders, those traveling for medical reasons or a points system for those frequently traveling, something can and should be done.
Lydia Paton,
Rollo Bay,
UPEI Student
