No. A004/03For release - April 7, 2003
CHARLOTTETOWN — Wayne Easter, Solicitor General of Canada and MP (Malpeque), on behalf of Transport Minister David Collenette, along with Prince Edward Island's Attorney General Jeffrey Lantz today announced the renewal of the Confederation Bridge Policing Services Program for another five years. As part of this extended agreement, the Government of Canada will provide a financial contribution of $1,196,000 to the Province of Prince Edward Island for the provision of policing services to the Confederation Bridge from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2008.
"The Confederation Bridge is considered an essential tool for the economic prosperity and a sustainable quality of life for Islanders," said Mr. Easter. "The ongoing provision of police services by the RCMP contributes to the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the bridge".
Under the agreement, the Province of Prince Edward Island provides ongoing day to day policing services to the Confederation Bridge, including preventive patrolling and timely response to all incidents when and where a police presence is required.
"A safe and secure transportation system has long been a central objective of national transportation policy," said Mr. Collenette. "The agreement allows the Government of Canada, as the owner of the Confederation Bridge, to ensure that an appropriate level of policing services is in place to provide safety of the travelling public and for the protection of an important government asset."
The agreement between the Government of Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island to provide policing services for the Confederation Bridge was initially put in place in May 1997 and renewed in July 2000. The current extension will ensure the provision of policing services to the Confederation Bridge for another five-year period.
"The low accident rate since the Bridge opened in 1997 indicates that the Policing Services Program has had a positive impact on the safety of the motoring public," said Mr. Lantz. "The Province of Prince Edward Island is a proud participant to a program that helps keep the Confederation Bridge -- the gateway to our province -- safe for the travelling public."
In 1993, Strait Crossing Development Inc. (SCDI) signed agreements with the Government of Canada to finance, design and construct a bridge across the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. As part of the agreements, SCDI, as the developer, also agreed to operate and maintain the Confederation Bridge for a period of 35 years. Pursuant to these agreements, while the Government of Canada owns the Confederation Bridge, Strait Crossing Bridge Limited operates and maintains the bridge on behalf of its parent company, SCDI.
Funding for this project was provided for in the February 2003 budget and is therefore built into the current fiscal framework.
– 30 –
Contact:
Maurice LandryTransport CanadaCommunicationsTel: (506) 851-7562
Jennifer MacLeodCommunicationsOffice of the Attorney General(902) 368-5829
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
