EDITOR:
May 31, 1997 was a historical event for Islanders – the opening of the Confederation Bridge. The 12.8 km-long bridge is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, and continues to endure as one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the 20th century.
The Confederation Bridge officially connected Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick and the rest of Canada, unlike our neighbours in Newfoundland and Labrador which can only be reached by ferry or air.
It cost some $1.3 billion to build this massive structure, and the federal government takes over full ownership from private operators Strait Crossing in 2032. It means that until then, Islanders have to pay a fee of $47 for each car that passes over the bridge (in 2018 funds, and higher each year based on cost of living).
So, for approximately 35 years, Islanders will pay a toll to travel to the rest of Canada, generating an estimated $4.3 billion to the private operators - roughly about three times more than the original cost and based on 1.4-1.6 million trips per year.
I think there are many advantages of the Confederation Bridge but it is still very expensive to cross it. What we should do is reduce the fee, because if we do, the project is going to be profitable anyway, and we could save almost $300 million in the process. An extra $300 million should have a tremendous economic impact on Prince Edward Island.
I think that would give Prince Edward Island a greater chance to grow and develop for a brighter future.
Mazen Al Khouli,
UPEI Student
