Carney promises to cut Confederation Bridge and ferry tolls by half

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 21, 2025 3:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has pledged to chopped Confederation Bridge tolls by much than fractional and trim the outgo of Northumberland Ferries fares by astatine least 50 per cent.

Carney made the announcement during a run halt Monday successful Charlottetown, speaking astatine a quality league astatine the University of Prince Edward Island's aesculapian school.

"I conscionable privation to underscore what we're doing — reducing the toll connected the Confederation Bridge to $20, cutting the outgo connected the ferries, and maintaining the ferries, to beryllium perfectly clear," Carney said astatine the event.

The P.E.I. authorities has argued for immoderate clip that charging Island citizens and businesses to transverse to the mainland by span oregon car-passenger ferry is unfair, particularly since the Confederation Bridge that joins P.E.I. and New Brunswick is considered a continuation of the Trans-Canada Highway.

The seasonal car-passenger ferries operated by Northumberland Ferries link eastbound P.E.I. with the bluish portion of mainland Nova Scotia.

At the moment, the round-trip toll for a modular two-axle conveyance to transverse the Confederation Bridge is $50.25. For the ferry service, the round-trip fare is $86 for rider vehicles up to six metres long and 2 metres high.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who visited P.E.I. earlier this month, has committed to eliminating tolls connected the span entirely. In addition, Poilievre pledged to behaviour a reappraisal of the national government's enactment for Northumberland Ferries.

Ferry work faced challenges past year

The Northumberland Strait ferry work has been struggling since MV Holiday Island was scrapped aft a occurrence successful the summertime of 2022, leaving only MV Confederation connected the run.

That vessel and MV Saaremaa, leased from the Quebec ferry work for parts of three seasons, past faced their ain stock of problems.

The Confederation was retired of work for 4 weeks past twelvemonth aft it ran into the wharf at Wood Islands, P.E.I., and the Saaremaa was knocked retired of committee by motor troubles.

Earlier this year, CBC News reported that past transport curate Anita Anand would bid an audit of Northumberland Ferries Limited owed to what Anand called "unacceptable" predominant work interruptions during the 2024 sailing season.

When a newsman asked Carney whether helium would perpetrate to yearly Transport Canada inspections of the vessels that are operated by Northumberland Ferries but owned by Transport Canada, the Liberal person said the thought seemed "sensible."

"I volition perpetrate to looking into that and providing a nonstop reply connected it. I deliberation surely the information of passengers is paramount. … We privation to marque definite that attraction is done properly," helium said.

Reductions would besides use to commercialized transport: Carney

Carney's program extends beyond P.E.I., according to a quality merchandise issued aft Monday's event.

He besides promised to trim costs by astatine slightest fractional connected different routes, including those operated by Marine Atlantic and the Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien ferry successful co-operation with the Quebec government.

"We volition besides trim fares for those utilizing these routes to transport goods. Significantly reducing the costs associated with the Confederation Bridge and these ferry services volition marque it easier to commercialized betwixt provinces, unite Canada and physique 1 Canadian economy," the merchandise said.

There has been sizeable speech successful caller months astir strengthening interior commercialized and removing interprovincial commercialized barriers, peculiarly successful airy of the U.S.-led commercialized warfare with Canada and different countries.

This has fuelled discussions astir reducing reliance connected American trade. Many politicians and concern leaders person called for stronger interior commercialized and the elimination of interprovincial commercialized barriers — including removing tolls connected the Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries.

Carney spoke past period of his program to execute "free commercialized by Canada Day" betwixt provinces and territories.

Carney outlines nationalist health-care strategy

Carney besides utilized Monday's sojourn to item a broader program to support and modernize Canada's nationalist health-care system.

This includes components specified arsenic investing $4 cardinal to conception and renovate assemblage health-care infrastructure, supporting women's health, improving intelligence wellness and substance maltreatment services, and addressing Canada's shortage of health-care professionals by adding thousands of caller doctors.

"We'll assistance tackle this shortage by moving with the provinces and territories to make much spaces successful aesculapian schools similar this one," helium said, referring to UPEI's aesculapian school.

The program besides includes expanding residency positions, recruiting qualified doctors done a caller planetary recruitment strategy, and streamlining credential designation for internationally trained doctors and nurses.