Draft Highway Agreement Protects Island Roads From Tolls, Says MacKinnon

A draft highway agreement under negotiation between the federal and provincial governments will protect Island roads from tolls being imposed, says Transportation and Public Works Minister Don MacKinnon.

MacKinnon was responding to a press release from the Opposition Office which mistakenly contends that the draft highway agreement allows for tolls to be placed on Island roads.

"The whole point of the draft agreement is to set up a framework to access whatever federal dollars may come available for highway infrastructure. The funds involved will by no means be enough to adequately address the challenges faced by our road network but one positive aspect of the agreement is that securities will be in place to ensure that no tolls can be levied on the national highways system without federal approval for the next 25 years," stated MacKinnon.

MacKinnon expressed disappointment with the tactics of the Leader of the Opposition surrounding this important issue. "Securing federal dollars to reinvest in our highway infrastructure and opposing toll highways have been one of this government's top priorities since taking office in 1996. The Premier has been at the forefront of those calling for a long-term National Highways Program to address the challenge of our ageing road network. In the absence of a National Highways Program, the province is attempting to secure whatever dollars may be made available by the federal government for highway reinvestment. Rather than work with the province on these efforts, the Leader of the Opposition has chosen to try and mislead Islanders into believing something that is completely untrue for his own political ends," observed MacKinnon.