Carney promises to cut Confederation Bridge and ferry tolls by half

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has pledged to cut Confederation Bridge tolls by more than half and reduce the cost of Northumberland Ferries fares by at least 50 per cent.

Carney made the announcement during a campaign stop Monday in Charlottetown, speaking at a news conference at the University of Prince Edward Island's medical school.

"I just want to underscore what we're doing — reducing the toll on the Confederation Bridge to $20, cutting the cost on the ferries, and maintaining the ferries, to be absolutely clear," Carney said at the event.

The P.E.I. government has argued for some time that charging Island citizens and businesses to cross to the mainland by bridge or car-passenger ferry is unfair, especially since the Confederation Bridge that joins P.E.I. and New Brunswick is considered a continuation of the Trans-Canada Highway.

The seasonal car-passenger ferries operated by Northumberland Ferries connect eastern P.E.I. with the northern part of mainland Nova Scotia.

At the moment, the round-trip toll for a standard two-axle vehicle to cross the Confederation Bridge is $50.25. For the ferry service, the round-trip fare is $86 for passenger vehicles up to six metres long and two metres high.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who visited P.E.I. earlier this month, has committed to eliminating tolls on the bridge entirely. In addition, Poilievre pledged to conduct a review of the federal government's support for Northumberland Ferries.

Ferry service faced challenges last year

The Northumberland Strait ferry service has been struggling since MV Holiday Island was scrapped after a fire in the summer of 2022, leaving only MV Confederation on the run.

That ship and MV Saaremaa, leased from the Quebec ferry service for parts of three seasons, then faced their own share of problems.

The Confederation was out of service for four weeks last year after it ran into the wharf at Wood Islands, P.E.I., and the Saaremaa was knocked out of commission by engine troubles.

Earlier this year, CBC News reported that then transport minister Anita Anand would order an audit of Northumberland Ferries Limited due to what Anand called "unacceptable" frequent service interruptions during the 2024 sailing season.

When a reporter asked Carney whether he would commit to annual Transport Canada inspections of the vessels that are operated by Northumberland Ferries but owned by Transport Canada, the Liberal leader said the idea seemed "sensible."

"I will commit to looking into that and providing a direct answer on it. I think certainly the safety of passengers is paramount. … We want to make sure that maintenance is done properly," he said.

Reductions would also apply to commercial transport: Carney

Carney's plan extends beyond P.E.I., according to a news release issued after Monday's event.

He also promised to reduce costs by at least half on other routes, including those operated by Marine Atlantic and the Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien ferry in co-operation with the Quebec government.

"We will also reduce fares for those using these routes to transport goods. Significantly reducing the costs associated with the Confederation Bridge and these ferry services will make it easier to trade between provinces, unite Canada and build one Canadian economy," the release said.

There has been considerable talk in recent months about strengthening internal trade and removing interprovincial trade barriers, particularly in light of the U.S.-led trade war with Canada and other countries.

This has fuelled discussions about reducing reliance on American trade. Many politicians and business leaders have called for stronger internal trade and the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers — including removing tolls on the Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries.

Carney spoke last month of his plan to achieve "free trade by Canada Day" between provinces and territories.

Carney outlines national health-care strategy

Carney also used Monday's visit to highlight a broader plan to protect and modernize Canada's public health-care system.

This includes components such as investing $4 billion to construct and renovate community health-care infrastructure, supporting women's health, improving mental health and substance abuse services, and addressing Canada's shortage of health-care professionals by adding thousands of new doctors.

"We'll help tackle this shortage by working with the provinces and territories to create more spaces in medical schools like this one," he said, referring to UPEI's medical school.

The plan also includes expanding residency positions, recruiting qualified doctors through a new global recruitment strategy, and streamlining credential recognition for internationally trained doctors and nurses.