Carney cuts Confederation Bridge tolls, ferry rates to fulfill election promise

Prime Minister Mark Carney has fulfilled a federal Liberals election promise to reduce tolls on the Confederation Bridge, which links Prince Edward Island with mainland Canada.

Carney, who was in Prince Edward Island on Monday, said tolls will drop from $50.25 to $20 starting Aug. 1 for vehicles.

The bridge handles around 95 per cent of all passenger and commercial traffic to and from the province.

As well, the federal government is cutting fares by half for passengers, vehicles and commercial traffic on the Eastern Canada Ferry Services.

Those ferries include routes between Woods Island, P.E.I. and Caribou, N.S., Saint John, N.B. and Digby, N.S., as well as Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Qué. and Souris, P.E.I.

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Marine Atlantic, a constitutionally mandated ferry service connecting Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, will reduce traveller fares by 50 per cent and freeze commercial freight rates.

Ottawa notes that Marine Atlantic plays a “critical role in the region’s trade and social links.” Nearly 65 per cent of goods that are transported to and from Newfoundland are transported by Marine Atlantic, including 90 per cent of all perishables like produce and propane.

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Carney said that cutting tolls and fares in Atlantic Canada will save Canadians and businesses millions of dollars.

“When we make it more affordable to travel between provinces, we increase mobility across the region. We build a stronger Atlantic Canada, and with more opportunity and greater prosperity,” he said.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story referred to a federal government media release saying fuel surcharges would be eliminated for the ferries. The Prime Minister’s Office has since amended that release to remove that line.