Tolls to be removed from Halifax bridges 2 weeks early
Tolls on Halifax's two harbour bridges are set to come off two weeks ahead of schedule.
A news release from the provincial government says the Angus L. Macdonald and A. Murray MacKay bridges will stop collecting tolls as of 5 a.m. on March 17.
"This is great news for commuters, and we're proud that we're delivering on our election promise of removing the tolls," Public Works Minister Fred Tilley said in the statement.
"It's one less fee to pay when getting where you need to go, and more money back in the pockets of Nova Scotians."
Removal of the toll plazas will begin this month, with work starting at the Macdonald Bridge first.
The transition to free-flowing traffic also includes removing concrete barriers and electrical equipment, resurfacing roadways and reconfiguring lanes.
Tolls have been in place since the opening of the Macdonald Bridge 70 years ago.
Halifax Harbour Bridges brought in about $36 million in toll revenue in 2024.
The province is spending $15 million this year for an operating grant to the bridge commission, which will become a new Crown corporation, and $86 million for capital repairs.
The Nova Scotia government is also making a one-time addition of $300 million to the provincial debt to account for taking over responsibility for the bridges.
More than 200,000 Nova Scotians have MacPass accounts — the system used to pay tolls through a transponder —and balances will be refunded in the coming weeks.
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