The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and Regional Minister for Prince Edward Island, and Robert Vessey, Provincial Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, celebrated today the completion of the Wellington Bridge replacement.
“Helping to connect workers with jobs, products with markets, and travellers with destinations, the Wellington Bridge is vital to the economic prosperity of this region. I am pleased that this important community link is now safer for local residents and visitors,” said Minister Shea. “Our Government will continue to deliver long-term funding to support key infrastructure improvements in Prince Edward Island, and economic growth across Canada.”
“The number one priority of my department is to provide safe and efficient roads and bridges for the benefit of Islanders,” said Minister Vessey. “The new Wellington Bridge will provide safe access to the community on the main route into Wellington. These sorts of strategic investments not only improve safety for residents, but they help drive the economy in rural parts of the province.”
The Wellington Bridge, on Route 124 in Wellington, was built in 1956 and had reached the end of its service life. The new bridge features a longer concrete span, replacing the steel structure that was in place. The Government of Canada contributed the total project cost of $625,000 through the Gas Tax Fund.
Canada’s Gas Tax Fund provides stable, long-term funding to local governments to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. In December 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion per year. The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund alone, provides $15 million in funding annually for municipal infrastructure in Prince Edward Island.
Investing in infrastructure is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan to create jobs, generate economic growth and ensure long-term prosperity. Over the course of the summer, the Government of Canada is engaging provinces, territories and stakeholders in a series of roundtables to develop a new long-term infrastructure plan. This plan will focus on investments that support job creation and economic growth, while building strong, prosperous communities across the country. In addition, the Government of Canada will hold a roundtable with national stakeholders and representatives of the private sector at the end of the summer. Working together to develop this plan will provide new opportunities for all orders of government and the private sector to build partnerships to improve public infrastructure in Canada.
For further information on infrastructure investments in Prince Edward Island, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca and www.gov.pe.ca.