The federal finance minister has submitted legislation which decrees that drivers crossing the upcoming replacement for the Champlain Bridge will have to pay a toll.
The bill, which covers many other issues in its 350 pages, includes a section dealing with the future toll.
According to the legislation, Ottawa will have the right to set the price of the toll for the upcoming span crossing the St. Lawrence River.
The legislation will help advance the public private project and will become reality if it’s judged in the public interest, according to federal minister Denis Lebel.
“We have always said that there will be a toll on the new bridge,” said Lebel in an email.
Montreal's elected officials have pleaded with the minister to not put tolls on the bridge for fear that it would negatively impact other crossings between Montreal and the South Shore.
The opposition Liberals and NDP denounced the decision.
“We always said that there must be a business plan for this and it seems the government does not have one,” said Liberal MP John McCallum.
“In spite of all of the objections, they’re still going ahead with it, it’s too bad,” said NDP MP Sadia Groguhe.
