For immediate release
Hamilton, Ontario, September 3, 2009 – Through its Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is investing in key infrastructure projects across the country, fuelling the economy and creating jobs for Canadians. In Hamilton, Mike Wallace, Member of Parliament for Burlington, on behalf of the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, today announced an investment of more than $4 million for a major repair and rehabilitation project of the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge.
"Under the Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has embarked on the largest infrastructure renewal program in half a century. With 80 per cent of the funding committed or spent we are putting the economy back on track across Canada," said MP Wallace. "Our goal is to have shovels in the ground and people with jobs as quickly as possible, without sacrificing fairness, transparency or accountability to taxpayers."
"Through Canada's Economic Action Plan and Budget 2009, this government is turning our short-term challenges into long-term strengths," said the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. "By investing in bridges like the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge we are building a lasting legacy of sound infrastructure while creating jobs, right here in Hamilton and across the country."
Dayson Industrial Services Inc., of Hamilton, Ontario was awarded the $4,152,555 contract to strip and repaint the lift span of the bridge and conduct related repairs. The work will take place over the next two winter seasons when the bridge is closed to marine traffic. The project will prevent rusting and loss of structural steel on the bridge, ensuring the continuing health and safety of pedestrians, commuters and mariners. The work will ensure the continued safe operation of the bridge.
Public Works and Government Services Canada is the custodian of the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge located on the western end of Lake Ontario at the entrance to Hamilton Harbour. Marine traffic in the Burlington Canal averages 6,000 commercial vessels and pleasure crafts per year, and the average daily traffic over the bridge is 10,000 vehicles.
The Government of Canada is investing $12 billion in new infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, broadband Internet access, electronic health records, laboratories and border crossings across Canada. Moreover, as part of the Economic Action Plan, Public Works and Government Services Canada will be investing more than $400 million over the next two years to renew federal public infrastructure.
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Mary-Ann Dewey-Plante
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Paradis
613-218-6961
Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
Office of Mike Wallace
Member of Parliament for Burlington
905-639-5757
This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
The Burlington Canal Lift Bridge is located on the western shore of Lake Ontario on a site rich in history. Opened in 1826, the canal connects the Hamilton Harbour industrial region to international trade and commerce. It was among a series of waterway projects begun 200 years ago to provide navigation from Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean. Today the Burlington Canal remains a busy waterway and is vital to the area's commerce.
There have been five successive moveable bridges located on this site since 1830. The present bridge was opened in 1962 and carried two lanes of vehicular traffic across the canal and tracks for the Hamilton - Northwestern railway. The tracks were removed in 1982 when the road was widened to four lanes.
The bridge structure is a tower driven, vertical lift, moveable bridge. The lift span is 116 metres long, weighs 1996 tonnes and has a vertical lift of 33 metres. A system located in the towers contains machinery, sheaves and wire ropes that are used to move the lift span. There is one 150 horsepower drive motor in each tower to supply power to the machinery and one 150 horsepower motor in each tower to synchronize the drive motors.
The St. Lawrence Seaway navigation season usually runs from late March to late December. During the winter shut down, bridge staff overhaul the tower drive gear and perform other maintenance work.
Since 1962, the bridge has operated more than 166,380 times, allowing the passage of over 250,000 vessels. On a yearly basis, the bridge will operate approximately 4000 times allowing approximately 6500 vessels, including more than 1000 cargo-carrying vessels, to pass through the canal. The bridge lifts on-demand, 24 hours a day for all large vessels and on the hour and half-hour for pleasure crafts.
The four-lane Lift Bridge provides an alternative ground route between the cities of Hamilton and Burlington for vehicles not wanting to use the Skyway Bridge or to drive around Hamilton Harbour. The average daily vehicle traffic count is approximately 10,000.
PWGSC's contributions to Budget 2009 projects
Budget 2009 commits more than $400 million over two years for Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to accelerate its plans to repair and restore federal buildings and bridges, and to enhance accessibility of federal buildings. This includes more than $40 million to repair federally-owned bridges, including the Burlington Lift Bridge. As the Government of Canada's main purchaser, real property manager and common-service provider, PWGSC is also supporting the activities of other departments that were identified in the Budget plan.
In delivering on Budget 2009, PWGSC remains committed to value for money, fairness, openness and transparency. The Department will continue its normal due diligence in all of its service delivery.
