Work on Centennial Bridge upgrade in doubt again after contractor removed
Progress this year on Miramichi's Centennial Bridge overhaul has been thrown into doubt again after the province removed the contractor from the job over alleged breaches of contract.
Miramichi Mayor Adam Lordon says the province notified the city it hopes to proceed with work this summer, which would include full closure of the bridge to do resurfacing work.
But after numerous delays on an upgrade that was announced in 2015 and was supposed to be finished by now, Lordon is looking for certainty.
"I guess we're continuing to get ready in case they are going to move forward, understanding that that will be notified sometime in the, hopefully, not too distant future of what the new plans for this year and the other years will be," he said.
The latest plan for the bridge, which opened in 1967, had been that it be fully shut down from May through the fall for three years in a row, starting in 2025.
CBC News asked the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure about the status of work on the Centennial Bridge, replacement of the Anderson Bridge in Miramichi, and the Mactaquac Dam bridge, all projects that Ontario contractor Julmmac has been removed from.
Department spokesperson Jacob MacDonald said he couldn't answer because the matter is "before the courts."
Lordon said the department will obviously have to take time to find a new contractor, but the city needs to be ready for a full shutdown, which he said would be a major disruption not only for Miramichi but much of northern New Brunswick.
Traffic moving between southern New Brunswick and Bathurst, the Acadian Peninsula and the north shore is routed through the Centennial Bridge.
About 13,700 vehicles used the bridge daily in 2023, according to the province, and closing it to upgrade the driving surface will push all that traffic onto city streets.
The upgrade was first announced by Brian Gallant's Liberal government in 2015, with a nine-year timeline, including a full closure in 2020 to upgrade the surface.
"I think that there's certainly an element of frustration in the community that there's been multiple delays over multiple years with multiple contractors and multiple provincial governments," Lordon said.
"You know, this entire thing was supposed to be done by now. And we're now in a situation where there's at least several more years."
The original cost was estimated at $83 million but has now more than doubled to $195 million.
The Gallant government cancelled one of the contracts for the work in 2018 without explanation, the first of many setbacks and delays.
The Progressive Conservative government of Blaine Higgs scrapped another of the contracts in 2020 because of spiralling costs.
And now, it's unclear if the work will continue this summer, without a contractor.
"This is a bit of a dark cloud knowing that this is going to have to happen, but it keeps getting pushed out," Lordon said.
He added that the community is still going to push for building a northern bypass, a controversial request that would have traffic rerouted on a new provincial route north of the city.
Although favoured by local people, the proposal has been shot down by several governments. A recent report showed that it would be impossible to complete in time for the bridge shutdowns over the next three summers.
But with plans for the shutdown now unclear, Lordon said he hopes the province will review the northern bypass as a possibility.
"We understand that it will take years, but I think the appetite for saying it won't be done before the bridge closures would be diminished as we continue to have these delays, right?" Lordon said.
"We need the road anyway. And at this rate, it very well could be done before the bridge project is concluded."
Julmac Contracting Ltd., based in Action, Ont., was removed from three major bridge projects earlier this week, according to the company's lawyer, Shalom Cumbo-Steinmetz, who predicted delays in the work as a result.
Julmac says the government wanted the company removed from the projects because it filed a complaint, alleging the province held outside contractors to a stricter standard than it did New Brunswick contractors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
Beef costs more than ever, but Canadians won't let that ruin barbecue season
As Canadians fire up their grills for the August long weekend, one of the nation's most cherished summer traditions is now facing a costly twist: beef prices have surged 25 per cent over the past year, far outpacing the rate of inflation and putting the price of summer burgers and steaks into uncharted territory. The price of ground beef hit $14.67 per kilogram in May of 2025, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada (new window) — a 25 per cent increase over the $11.72 recorded a year earlier and well above the country's current inflation rate of 1.7 per cent. This weekend marks one of the busiest grilling holidays of the year in Canada, as families and friends gather at cottages, campgrounds and in backyards from coast to coast. Even with ground beef hitting historic highs, Canadians seem unwilling to let go of their cherished burger, or trade it in for tofu. If anything, the lingering effects of trade tensions and a growing movement to support local producers have only strengthened demand for homegrown beef, according to some analysts. Demand for beef is phenomenal. It's really a good news story, Kevin Grier, a Guelph, Ont.-based, economist who specializes in livestock, meat and grocery market analysis, told CBC News. If you want somebody to blame, really blame the consumer because we keep on coming back. Persistent Western drought shrinks herd Behind the price spike are some familiar factors: smaller herds from prolonged drought in Western Canada (new window) and high input costs for feed. WATCH | Why beef prices might stay high for a while: There's been so much drought in southwest Saskatchewan and southern Alberta that some of these farmers have not had any moisture since the snow melted in April, said Stuart Smyth, a professor in the department of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Smyth said some western producers are choosing to shrink their herds rather than absorb the high cost of feed, which in some cases has to be hauled in from other provinces. Faced with the prospect of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, many are opting to downsize instead. That's why we've seen this drop of half a million head of cattle over the last five years, is because this has been a fairly prolonged drought in one of the regions that has the highest number of livestock, he said. Some ranchers see an upside Still, not every farmer is feeling the pinch. Thanks to strong demand, fuelled by barbecue culture's surge in popularity and a renewed push to support local amid ongoing trade tensions, some cattle producers are, for once, seeing a rare upside. Enlarge image (new window) A persistent drought in Alberta and Saskatchewan has forced many cattle farmers to haul water to their herds, driving up costs. Photo: Submitted by Kent Holowath Unlike previous cycles of food inflation, this one is offering certain producers a better return. We don't get to set our prices, said Lee Irvine, a cattle farmer outside of Calgary, adding what they earn for their cattle is often out of their control. Instead, they're price takers, accepting whatever the market offers at auction. So when consumers are willing to go out and pay higher prices for beef, there's trickle-down effects to the primary producers, he said. We're selling our cattle at a higher margin right now. Enlarge image (new window) Source: Statistics Canada Photo: CBC Still, not all producers have been able to take full advantage. After back-to-back years of drought, Irvine said his operation didn't receive enough spring rain to sustain a full herd this year. We're only running about 20 head, he said. Normally we'd have anywhere from 30 to 60. Cost of cattle puts butchers in a crunch Some butchers said the issue isn't a shortage of cattle; it's the cost of buying them. Enlarge image (new window) While beef commands higher prices on store shelves, tight supplies and higher input costs squeeze margins and complicate inventory management for processors and retailers. Photo: CBC News / Colin Butler We have no problems getting beef, but we just got to pay the higher prices for them, said Andy Trbizan, who runs the Mt. Brydges Abattoir in Mount Brydges, Ont., alongside his daughter and son. I'm thinking it's got to be about 15 to 20 per cent higher than what it used to be. Despite passing those costs onto the consumer, whether its steak, chuck or a whole brisket, beef has proven resilient. The jump in beef prices hasn't deterred shoppers or wannabe pit-masters. Instead, BBQ culture seems to be enjoying a full-blown heyday (new window) . The trade and marketing association Canada Beef says since 1989 demand for beef last year was only higher in 2020 and 2022. Demand is really high, especially in the summertime, Trbizan said, noting the abattoir often sees lineups that stretch out the showroom door on weekends. People want to get out, do their barbecues and they want to entertain. If you want somebody to blame, really blame the consumer because we keep on coming back. Kevin Grier, livestock, meat and grocery analyst And smoking meat has become very popular, so everybody has their smokers out and they're trying new things as well, his daughter Nicole Miller said. These conditions are expected to keep beef prices elevated through at least 2027 (new window) , with little immediate relief in sight, according to a recent industry report. This projection underscores the slow and steady nature of herd rebuilding, which requires time for animals to mature and reach market size. Experts suggest consumers may need to prepare for a prolonged period of higher prices, even as producers work toward stabilizing supply. For now, summer barbecues come at a premium, but it's a price Canadians appear willing to pay. Colin Butler (new window) · CBC News · Reporter Colin Butler is a veteran journalist with 20 years' experience in print, radio and television in seven Canadian cities. You can email him at
3 hours ago
The costs of Trump's tariffs are starting to add up for Americans. Here's how
Little by little, the costs of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs are starting to show for American businesses and consumers. News of the tariff impact is mounting, from the Detroit Three automakers (new window) announcing they'll face extra costs this year totalling into the billions, to the stainless steel cookware manufacturer (new window) in Tennessee hit with a $75,000 US tariff bill on one shipment, right down to the coffee shops (new window) considering boosting the price of a cup because of tariffs on Brazil. Until recently, companies have somewhat shielded U.S. consumers from the full effects of the tariffs, either by rushing supplies into the country ahead of Trump's deadlines or absorbing the levies as a cost of doing business. But with tariffs on imports from roughly 100 U.S. trading partners due to rise this week (new window) from their current baseline of 10 per cent, tariff-related costs are headed nowhere but up. Alex Durante, senior economist of the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based policy and advocacy group, says the tariffs are hitting a broad range of U.S. businesses that rely on imports. I think the administration is going to have a really hard time trying to convince the American people that some of the price increases they're seeing are because of other factors not related to the tariffs, Durante said in an interview with CBC News. I just don't think most people are going to be fooled by that, he said. WATCH | Carney's point man on tariffs takes Canada's message to U.S. television: Trump, cabinet deny tariffs costing Americans While on a macro level the U.S. economy is generally chugging along just fine (new window) despite Trump's tactics, there's some fresh data suggesting the tariffs are acting as a drag: Trump and his cabinet members quickly brush aside any evidence that the tariffs are costing Americans, with the president even firing the head of the federal statistics agency (new window) that produces the country's employment report. We have a lot of money coming in, much more money than the country has ever seen, by hundreds of billions of dollars, Trump said Sunday when a reporter asked about tariffs. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer flat-out denied that Trump's tariffs policies are a factor in the jobs slump. I don't read tariff policy into that number, Greer told the CBS program Face the Nation (new window) on Sunday. Enlarge image (new window) Coffee producer Ricardo Rufino Jr. shows off processed coffee beans at Boa Esperanca farm in Braganca Paulista, Brazil, on Monday. The country is facing the prospect of 50 per cent tariffs on its products exported to the U.S., leaving some American coffee shops considering whether they'll have to raise prices. Photo: Associated Press / Andre Penner But if you're willing to look around, you can find plenty of examples of U.S. businesses feeling the pinch. Reuters news agency is compiling examples of how major companies around the world are responding to Trump's tariffs, such as hiking prices and issuing profit warnings. Retailers, big brands raising prices The Reuters tracker (new window) currently shows 22 U.S. companies raising prices, including retail giants (Walmart, Best Buy), footwear brands (Nike, Crocs, Birkenstock) and big-name makers of household goods (Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Clorox). It's hard to imagine many American consumers haven't bought something from those businesses this year. Other big-name U.S. firms have in recent days reported tariff impacts: Tech giant Apple (new window) says it faced $800 million in tariff-related costs last quarter alone, and expects that to rise to $1.1 billion this quarter. says it faced $800 million in tariff-related costs last quarter alone, and expects that to rise to $1.1 billion this quarter. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (new window) blames tariffs in part for a 5.1 per cent quarterly decline in revenue in its consumer goods division, which includes brands like Fruit of the Loom. blames tariffs in part for a 5.1 per cent quarterly decline in revenue in its consumer goods division, which includes brands like Fruit of the Loom. Tool manufacturer Stanley Black & Decker (new window) estimates its tariff costs will hit $800 million this year. Those corporate figures don't touch on another trend emerging in the U.S. economy: the downturn in visits by international travellers, dramatically so from Canada (new window) . Perhaps that's not exactly tariff-related, but Trump slamming other nations on trade by describing them as nasty, unfair and ripping off the U.S. is not exactly what you'd call a warm and welcoming tourism ad campaign either. WATCH | Economist says Canada has a better deal on Trump's tariffs than other countries: Higher prices could impact public opinion While some polling (new window) suggests more Americans disapprove of tariffs than approve, the issue does not appear to be a crucial source of public-opinion damage to Trump and the Republicans — at least not yet. That could change if the tariff costs on businesses accumulate so much that consumers can't help but see the impact. We know from the most recent presidential election that voters really disliked seeing higher prices, said Durante. He sees trouble ahead whether businesses pass along all, some or none of the extra tariff costs to consumers. If they're absorbing the price increases, that's less money that they could use to invest in their own businesses and jobs and further production, Durante said. So, even if we don't see the tariffs fully impacting final consumer prices, these are still some pretty harmful effects. Mike Crawley (new window) · CBC News · Senior reporter Mike Crawley has covered Ontario politics for CBC News since 2009. He began his career as a newspaper reporter in B.C., spent six years as a freelance journalist in various parts of Africa, then joined the CBC in 2005. Mike was born and raised in Saint John, N.B. Follow Mike Crawley on Twitter (new window)
CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
Ford government studied, shelved Hwy. 401 tunnel research in 2021
The Ford government studied tunneling under Highway 401 to relieve congestion but quietly shelved the unreleased work in 2021, years before Premier Doug Ford announced his controversial plan for the mega-project in 2024. Those findings are in documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request. The briefing notes for senior government officials, dated Feb. 19, 2025, lay out the history of work on the controversial proposal that Ford first floated publicly last year. "The project was paused in late 2021 based on government direction," civil servants wrote in the briefing note. "The planning study was not advertised, and no additional work has occurred on the project." Ford's plan would see the tunnel built from Mississauga in the west to Scarborough in the east. In April, the government began the process of finding a firm to complete a new feasibility study into tunneling or building an elevated expressway above the current highway. That study isn't expected to be completed until 2027. But the documents obtained by CBC News show that the government appears to have already conducted its own analysis and quietly shelved that detailed work five years ago. The planning study has not been released and it's not clear why the work was stopped. The civil servants say in the documents that the study examined options to compare "assumptions, findings, costing, and technical design considerations." WATCH | Experts say proposed tunnel could cost $100B: Pair of ministries, consultant prepared the 'high-level analysis' The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Ontario worked on the study with the help of an outside engineering consultant. They "conducted a high-level analysis on three tunnel concepts and two elevated roadway concepts," the note says. That work appears to have been prompted by a number of unsolicited proposals to government between 2019 and 2021 from companies pitching plans to build a 401 tunnel. The submission of such proposals is not unusual, and Ontario created a policy framework and submissions portal to streamline the process in 2019, the documents say. "(The proposals) received by the government in 2019 led to an initial assessment of the feasibility and benefits of a tunnel or similar large-scale capital infrastructure project on the central Highway 401 corridor, which would add capacity in support of decreasing congestion," the note says. The documents say firms Aecon, Cintra and Acciona all submitted unsolicited proposals. The note does not provide specifics about each individual plan but says one proposed two tunnels under the existing 401 from Highway 427 in the west to Bayview Avenue or Leslie Street in the east. One of the tunnel concepts consisted of two "large-diameter, five lane, double-deck" tunnels, the documents note. Crombie calls for 'full transparency' Neither Premier Doug Ford nor Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria's offices responded to a request for comment. Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie is calling on the government to release all of the reports on the tunnel. Ontarians need to be able to evaluate the merits of what could be the single most expensive infrastructure project in the province's history should it move ahead, she said. "I'd like to know what the economic benefits are," she said. "I'd like to know what the environmental impacts would be. Will it meet the goal of reducing traffic and gridlock?" Crombie said she's skeptical the tunnel would cut congestion on the highway. It's possible the government shelved the work in 2021 because the civil servants found the mega-project wasn't feasible, she said. "That's why we ask for full transparency and an opportunity to see the feasibility study," she said. WATCH | How Toronto is tackling congestion: Chow explains how Toronto is tackling congestion, gridlock 3 months ago Critic calls for release of Hwy. 401 tunnel reports NDP transportation and infrastructure critic Jennifer French said the Ford government needs to be transparent about what it already knows about the cost and feasibility of the tunnel. "This just speaks to the fact that everything the government does, whether it's infrastructure projects, transportation projects, we are always the last ones to know," she said. "If the premier is drawing from the report, or if he's ignoring the report, I would like to know." Vetting unsolicited proposals is very challenging for governments, said Matti Siemiatycki, director of University of Toronto's Infrastructure Institute. He's not surprised that after receiving the three plans from the private sector, that the government wanted to work on its own 401 tunnel analysis. "Some of them are complete hair brain schemes, and some of them have a kernel of truth to them," he said generally of unsolicited proposals. "It's very complicated and challenging for governments to sift through them and try to figure out the signal from the noise." Siemiatycki said the 401 tunnel could take decades to build and cost tens of billions of dollars. For that reason, the government should release as much of its feasibility work as possible, including information in the unsolicited proposals that isn't proprietary to the firms, he said. That also includes release of the current feasibility study planned by the province when it's completed, he added.
