The consortium building a new bridge to replace the crumbling Champlain Bridge is playing down concerns about 2,000 defects that reportedly have been found in parts manufactured by a Spanish company.
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A spokesman says all the problems are being ironed out and the $4.2-billion bridge will be delivered on time next December.
The new structure, which spans the Saint Lawrence River, is being built by the federal government.
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Federal transport minister Marc Garneau says he wants people to know the structure “is in good hands.”
He told reporters in Ottawa Mon day all the parts for the new Champlain Bridge are inspected and are repaired or rejected when there are non-conformities.
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A report in Le Journal de Montréal Monday lists a number of defects, including porous steel plates, incomplete or non-existent soldering, defective bolts and several holes poorly aligned in parts that have to be bolted together.
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The consortium’s website says a project the size of the new bridge will inevitably encounter technical challenges.
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However, it adds that when an irregularity is raised, the only focus is to correct the situation so the permanent works conform to standards.