Latest news with #PercyDowne
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'What took so long?' P.E.I. senator says Ottawa's bridge toll cut came a decade too late
Prime Minster Mark Carney's decision to cut tolls on the Confederation Bridge satisfied a Prince Edward Island senator's long-standing quest for equality — but it didn't come without a question. "What took so long?" said Percy Downe during an interview with CBC's Island Morning. Downe, who served as chief of staff to former prime minister Jean Chrétien before his appointment to the Senate in 2003, had long called the bridge tolls unfair to Islanders. His complaints began about a decade ago, when the previous Liberal government announced it was fully funding and removing tolls on Montreal's Champlain Bridge. Both that bridge and Confederation are assets owned by the federal government. "That was grossly unfair. It was unfair to Islanders," Downe said. "It was a problem that should have been addressed by prime minister [Justin] Trudeau. It was never addressed. I'm thankful Prime Minister Carney fixed the problem." Carney's announcement Monday saw the price of tolls on the Confederation Bridge, which connects P.E.I. with New Brunswick, fall to $20 from $50.25. Prices for transport trucks fell to a flat rate of $20. And there was no change in the cost to cyclists, pedestrians, shuttles or motorcycles. Those changes kicked in Friday. Downe said he's OK with the $20 toll, saying that money can go toward the bridge's maintenance. But it took a decade for Ottawa to right a wrong, he said, and Islanders paid the price during that time. "In those 10 years... Islanders spent hundreds of millions of dollars in tolls," he said. More than 990,000 vehicles crossed the Confederation Bridge in 2024, many of them paying at least $50.25 to pass. Also in Carney's announcement, news that fares for passengers, cars and commercial traffic on ferry services in Eastern Canada that are federally supported would go down by 50 per cent. The ferry service between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland also got a boost from Ottawa. Ticket prices were cut in half, though rates for commercial freight did not see a decrease. To make it all happen, it's estimated government will spend about $100 million of public money annually to offset the reduction of the bridge toll and ferry fares. An economic and social boost Despite the spending, the prime minister said the move will pump millions back into the Canadian economy. "If we are going to build a stronger, more united economy, and we are doing that, we are going to need to make it more affordable to travel around this country, for people and for businesses," Carney said during the announcement. That need is something Downe has seen first-hand "Just prior to the pandemic, I heard from an agricultural producer who spent $66,000 in bridge tolls that year — money that his competitor in Cap-Pelé, N.B., did not have to spend," Downe said. WATCH | Islanders and tourists excited about reduced price to leave P.E.I.: In seven years, full ownership of the bridge will transfer back to the federal government from it's current operator, Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd. Downe said he is "not worried at all" about whether tolls will remain low after that deadline. But advocacy for equitable, reliable travel can't end, he said, especially as the ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia continues to face delays and disruptions this season. "It has to be addressed," he said. "I won't be in the Sentate for another 10 years."


CBC
7 days ago
- Business
- CBC
'What took so long?' P.E.I. senator says Ottawa's bridge toll cut came a decade too late
Social Sharing Prime Minster Mark Carney's decision to cut tolls on the Confederation Bridge satisfied a Prince Edward Island senator's long-standing quest for equality — but it didn't come without a question. "What took so long?" said Percy Downe during an interview with CBC's Island Morning. Downe, who served as chief of staff to former prime minister Jean Chrétien before his appointment to the Senate in 2003, had long called the bridge tolls unfair to Islanders. His complaints began about a decade ago, when the previous Liberal government announced it was fully funding and removing tolls on Montreal's Champlain Bridge. Both that bridge and Confederation are assets owned by the federal government. "That was grossly unfair. It was unfair to Islanders," Downe said. "It was a problem that should have been addressed by prime minister [Justin] Trudeau. It was never addressed. I'm thankful Prime Minister Carney fixed the problem." Carney's announcement Monday saw the price of tolls on the Confederation Bridge, which connects P.E.I. with New Brunswick, fall to $20 from $50.25. Prices for transport trucks fell to a flat rate of $20. And there was no change in the cost to cyclists, pedestrians, shuttles or motorcycles. Those changes kicked in Friday. Downe said he's OK with the $20 toll, saying that money can go toward the bridge's maintenance. But it took a decade for Ottawa to right a wrong, he said, and Islanders paid the price during that time. "In those 10 years... Islanders spent hundreds of millions of dollars in tolls," he said. More than 990,000 vehicles crossed the Confederation Bridge in 2024, many of them paying at least $50.25 to pass. Also in Carney's announcement, news that fares for passengers, cars and commercial traffic on ferry services in Eastern Canada that are federally supported would go down by 50 per cent. The ferry service between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland also got a boost from Ottawa. Ticket prices were cut in half, though rates for commercial freight did not see a decrease. To make it all happen, it's estimated government will spend about $100 million of public money annually to offset the reduction of the bridge toll and ferry fares. An economic and social boost Despite the spending, the prime minister said the move will pump millions back into the Canadian economy. "If we are going to build a stronger, more united economy, and we are doing that, we are going to need to make it more affordable to travel around this country, for people and for businesses," Carney said during the announcement. That need is something Downe has seen first-hand "Just prior to the pandemic, I heard from an agricultural producer who spent $66,000 in bridge tolls that year — money that his competitor in Cap-Pelé, N.B., did not have to spend," Downe said. WATCH | Islanders and tourists excited about reduced price to leave P.E.I.: Islanders and tourists excited about reduced price to leave P.E.I. 4 days ago In seven years, full ownership of the bridge will transfer back to the federal government from it's current operator, Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd. Downe said he is "not worried at all" about whether tolls will remain low after that deadline. But advocacy for equitable, reliable travel can't end, he said, especially as the ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia continues to face delays and disruptions this season. "It has to be addressed," he said. "I won't be in the Sentate for another 10 years."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'What took so long?' P.E.I. senator says Ottawa's bridge toll cut came a decade too late
Prime Minster Mark Carney's decision to cut tolls on the Confederation Bridge satisfied a Prince Edward Island senator's long-standing quest for equality — but it didn't come without a question. "What took so long?" said Percy Downe during an interview with CBC's Island Morning. Downe, who served as chief of staff to former prime minister Jean Chrétien before his appointment to the Senate in 2003, had long called the bridge tolls unfair to Islanders. His complaints began about a decade ago, when the previous Liberal government announced it was fully funding and removing tolls on Montreal's Champlain Bridge. Both that bridge and Confederation are assets owned by the federal government. "That was grossly unfair. It was unfair to Islanders," Downe said. "It was a problem that should have been addressed by prime minister [Justin] Trudeau. It was never addressed. I'm thankful Prime Minister Carney fixed the problem." Carney's announcement Monday saw the price of tolls on the Confederation Bridge, which connects P.E.I. with New Brunswick, fall to $20 from $50.25. Prices for transport trucks fell to a flat rate of $20. And there was no change in the cost to cyclists, pedestrians, shuttles or motorcycles. Those changes kicked in Friday. Downe said he's OK with the $20 toll, saying that money can go toward the bridge's maintenance. But it took a decade for Ottawa to right a wrong, he said, and Islanders paid the price during that time. "In those 10 years... Islanders spent hundreds of millions of dollars in tolls," he said. More than 990,000 vehicles crossed the Confederation Bridge in 2024, many of them paying at least $50.25 to pass. Also in Carney's announcement, news that fares for passengers, cars and commercial traffic on ferry services in Eastern Canada that are federally supported would go down by 50 per cent. The ferry service between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland also got a boost from Ottawa. Ticket prices were cut in half, though rates for commercial freight did not see a decrease. To make it all happen, it's estimated government will spend about $100 million of public money annually to offset the reduction of the bridge toll and ferry fares. An economic and social boost Despite the spending, the prime minister said the move will pump millions back into the Canadian economy. "If we are going to build a stronger, more united economy, and we are doing that, we are going to need to make it more affordable to travel around this country, for people and for businesses," Carney said during the announcement. That need is something Downe has seen first-hand "Just prior to the pandemic, I heard from an agricultural producer who spent $66,000 in bridge tolls that year — money that his competitor in Cap-Pelé, N.B., did not have to spend," Downe said. WATCH | Islanders and tourists excited about reduced price to leave P.E.I.: In seven years, full ownership of the bridge will transfer back to the federal government from it's current operator, Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd. Downe said he is "not worried at all" about whether tolls will remain low after that deadline. But advocacy for equitable, reliable travel can't end, he said, especially as the ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia continues to face delays and disruptions this season. "It has to be addressed," he said. "I won't be in the Sentate for another 10 years."


CBC
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
P.E.I. politicians call on Ottawa to reduce bridge, ferry tolls by Canada Day
Canada Day would be a good deadline for Prime Minister Mark Carney to deliver on his campaign promise to reduce tolls on the Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries service, says Egmont MP Bobby Morrissey. "July 1 would be an ideal timeline," Morrissey said. "I will push with the government and with the prime minister until we have this in place." Morrissey wrote to Carney last week emphasizing the importance of timing and suggesting that Canada Day would be a "symbolic day for Islanders." It would also be a realistic date, he said. "Remember, we removed the carbon tax within a short period of time, which was much more complex," he said. "So. reducing the toll … would be a very easy thing for government to do." While campaigning in P.E.I. for last month's election, Carney announced that his government would cut Confederation Bridge tolls by more than half and reduce the cost of Northumberland Ferries fares by at least 50 per cent. Bridge tolls are now more than $50. The ferry costs nearly $90. Tolls a trade barrier Carney said in March that he and the premiers agreed to develop a plan to have "free trade by Canada Day" between the provinces and territories. Charlottetown Sen. Percy Downe, who has been advocating for reduced tolls on the bridge and ferry service for over a decade, said the tolls are a trade barrier and must come down. "It increases the cost for businesses and/or consumers to get across the region and to get our products out of the region," Downe said. Lower tolls would reduce costs for Islanders, provide a boost to the province's tourism industry and make it easier for Islanders to travel out of province to access services like medical care, he said. "It's an overall win for the province," Downe said. "It's a win for the people of Prince Edward Island." Calls grow louder P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz said he signed a letter to send to Transportation Minister Chrystia Freeland and expects to speak with Carney about the tolls soon. "I have confidence," he said. "I see no reason why they would back away from the commitment that they made." The Canada Day deadline might be ambitious, Lantz said, but it would be great to make it happen. "It's going to be up to the federal government to figure out the mechanics of making this happen, but I don't see why they couldn't just change the signs at the bridge and reprogram the point of sale systems to make it $20 and then figure the rest out later," he said.