No. H172/13
For immediate release
December 20, 2013
OTTAWA – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, today welcomed Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. (JCCBI)’s announcement regarding the re-opening of the Champlain Bridge’s third lane toward the South Shore.
“I am pleased that JCCBI has completed the lane reconfiguration following the installation of the support beam. Three lanes leading to the South Shore will be open to traffic during evening rush hour,” said Minister Lebel. “I want to sincerely thank all bridge users for their patience, as well as JCCBI, the Government of Quebec and all partners for their collaboration to help alleviate traffic and reduce commuting delays during the lane closure.”
Earlier this month, one lane of the Champlain Bridge leading to the South Shore was closed after a crack was detected on one of the bridge’s beams. Following inspections and studies, JCCBI installed a support beam to address the crack.
The Champlain Bridge is subject to ongoing monitoring and the Government of Canada is making no compromises with the safety of Canadians. A new bridge for the St. Lawrence is a priority for the Government of Canada.
“In the New Year, we will continue to provide regular updates on the new bridge for the St. Lawrence project, including a detailed timeline for the construction of the new bridge,” continued Minister Lebel. “The new bridge will be in service in 2018.”
On October 5, 2011, the Government of Canada announced that it would be building a new bridge to replace the Champlain Bridge. This bridge is one of the busiest in Canada, with $20 billion worth of international trade crossing it every year. The Champlain Bridge is a crucial corridor for the regional economy and for Canada as a whole. The project also meets the objectives of Canada’s gateway strategies.
Canada’s Economic Action Plan promotes new opportunities for growth, job creation and long-term prosperity. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery, with more than a million net new jobs created since July 2009.
For more information on the Champlain Bridge, please visit www.jccbi.ca/. To learn more about the new bridge for the St. Lawrence, please visit www.tc.gc.ca/nbfsl.
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Contacts:
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities
and Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada
for the Regions of Quebec, Ottawa
613-948-1838
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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