The  idea of charging a toll on the Diefenbaker Bridge has prompted much debate among the public and politicians. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

To toll or not to toll

Municipal leaders weigh in on bridge toll issue

Jul 24, 2019 | 5:41 PM

The question of whether to put in place a toll on the Diefenbaker Bridge has got people talking.

Recently the City of Prince Albert announced plans to look into implementing a fee for those who use the bridge, with the funds collected to pay for a second bridge.

Gordon Barnhart, president of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), which lobbies on behalf of cities, towns and villages said they can see why P.A. would look at putting a toll in place.

“That becomes then an additional source of revenue. That community will be able to make a decision as to what they apply that revenue to, new bridge or other improvements in their city,” he said.

Barnhart said municipalities have limited sources for revenues which include property and business taxes along with revenue sharing agreements with both provincial and federal governments. The SUMA president added another major source of revenue for municipal governments are grants, which still leave cities on the hook for a portion of the costs.

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“Even when we get that money, which we very much appreciate, we have to usually match, one third, one third, one third and so these communities than are having to find additional sources of revenue to be able to do those infrastructure projects,” he said.

Barnhart said he has not heard about any other municipalities in Saskatchewan considering user tolls, but is aware of them being used on highways in British Columbia and Ontario.

“If one or two communities start doing it, then others may start to do it as well,” he said.

Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) said his organization is not supportive of the idea of implementing a toll on the Diefenbaker Bridge.

“Generally it would be something that we’re not in favour of, because the rural people would need to pay the toll when they go into the city,” he said.

Specifically Orb worried it would be disruptive from an economic standpoint by disrupting the trading pattern between rural and urban areas. Orb added he understands why the city is exploring a toll to raise money for another bridge, but feels applying for funding from the provincial and federal governments may work as it has for Regina and Saskatoon in the past.

“I am hoping that the province may take another look at it and maybe acquire some federal funding to be able to do that,” he said.

Meanwhile the minister responsible for SGI and Prince Albert Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave called the notion of a toll on the Diefenbaker Bridge “interesting” but added it didn’t appeal to him.

“I know it’s purely speculative and still very, very preliminary, but personally I have big reservations about the potential harm to the Prince Albert economy and the tourism in the North,” he told paNOW.

Hargrave said he couldn’t fault the city for seeking different revenue avenues but noted the government spent over $8 million on maintaining and repairing the bridge and stressed reports indicated the structure “would last for many, many years and it’s being monitored on a regular basis.”

Doug Wakabayashi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Highways, said they had yet to receive formal correspondence from the city regarding the toll idea but “if they do want to meet to discuss the concept, we certainly would be happy to discuss it with them.”

—With files from Glenn Hicks.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn