AOK Chief Corbiere calls for bridge toll
MANITOULIN—While the Manitoulin Municipal Association has now formally invited the Minister of Transportation to a meeting to discuss the future plans for the replacement of the swing bridge in Little Current, municipal and First Nation leaders have also raised concerns as to what would happen, and ministry plans, if the bridge were ever to fail completely and vehicle traffic could not get on or off the Island.
“What would we do if the bridge failed permanently?” asked Ken Noland, chair of the MMA. “What would the ministry do if a failure took place? What is the plan to allow the continued flow of goods and services off and on Manitoulin Island? I think we need to add that to our request.”
“Following a discussion at the Manitoulin Municipal Association level, the Manitoulin municipalities would like to invite you to Manitoulin Island to provide an update on the new Little Current Swing Bridge,” reads a letter signed and sent by Mr. Noland dated November 22 to the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, minister of transportation.
“Due to recent mechanical failures with the present Little Current Swing Bridge, our municipalities are extremely concerned as to the state of the present bridge. For six months of the year this bridge provides the only access to Manitoulin Island for goods and services. If a catastrophic failure occurs with the present bridge, what plan is in place for the continued provision of goods and service, ambulatory care, etc. to ensure the health and safety of all? This is a vital piece of infrastructure for our communities.”
“We would also like to be provided with an update on the new bridge regarding the design/build timeframe as communication with our municipalities has been limited. We look forward to meeting with you on beautiful Manitoulin at your earliest convenience,” the letter reads.
“I don’t think I will be alive when the new bridge is built,” stated Patsy Corbiere, chief of Aundeck Omni Kaning and chair of the United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising. “I don’t think they (province) have any money to build a new bridge. I will believe it when I see it.”
Chief Corbiere pointed out the swing bridge, “has been breaking down more over the last two years especially.” Chief Corbiere said, “I think a toll collection should start at the bridge, with the funds going toward construction of the new bridge. If we are waiting for government funding; all the government funding is going to foreign countries.”
“Remember when the OCF (Ojibway Cultural Foundation) took a toll collection at the bridge a couple of years ago? Between $6,000-7,000 was raised daily,” said Chief Corbiere. To those who raise concerns with this proposal the chief asked, “what would people prefer to do? Get stuck on the Island or swim across when the bridge breaks down. Maybe they could have a ferry travel back and forth from the Island to the mainland, that would enhance tourism.”
“I think it will be a minimum of 25 years before we see a new bridge. I will be lucky if it happens in my lifetime,” stated Mr. Noland.
“I thought the bridge work would be starting soon,” said Chief Corbiere. “I just don’t think the government has the money for this.” Diana Addley, senior environmental planner with Stantec Consulting Ltd, said in a letter to all Manitoulin municipalities and First Nations dated November 22, “In follow up to previous correspondence related to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Planning Preliminary Design, and Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) study for the Highway 6 Little Current Swing Bridge, this memorandum has been prepared to provide you with an update on this study, including next steps in the Class EA process.”
“The Highway 6 Little Current Swing Bridge study was initiated on July 4, 2018,” said Ms. Robinson. She explained that the MOT completed a heritage impact assessment earlier this year. The ministry is now preparing a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) to document the entire class environmental assessment study process for this project.
Once the TESR is complete, it will be posted for 30-day review and stakeholders, the public and Indigenous communities will be notified in advance of the start of posting.
“Based on the findings of the Class EA study process, the recommended plan includes a new through truss swing bridge structure on a new alignment, located just west of the existing swing bridge,” Ms. Robinson continued. “The recommended plan also includes the removal of the existing Highway 6 Little Current swing bridge, following construction of the bridge. It should be noted that the recommended plan is preliminary in nature, and further consultation, planning and design is required before any construction activities are planned.”
“The existing bridge is the oldest and longest known example of a swing bridge within the province and has been identified by MTO as a Provincial Heritage Property of Provincial Significance (PHPPS) under the Ontario Heritage Act (OAH). Under the 2010 Standards and Guidelines for Conservation of Provincial Heritage Properties and the MTO’s Ontario Heritage Bridge Guidelines, consent of the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism must be obtained prior to the demolition or removal of a building or structure located on a PHPPS,” explained Ms. Addley. “In addition, a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) was prepared. A copy of the HIA report, including a cover letter requesting feedback regarding the findings and recommendations documented in the HIA, was mailed and emailed to Indigenous communities, stakeholders and other interested persons in January 2022.
“On November 2, 2022, the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism provided consent for the removal of the existing swing bridge,” continued Ms. Addley. “The MTO is now preparing a TESR to document the entire Class EA study process for this project.”
“At this time, the MTO is planning to issue the Notice of TESR completion in early 2023,” wrote Ms. Addley.
Once the publishing of the TESR and review of the comments received take place, the project will be ready for environmental clearance. The detail design and construction stages will be future stages in this project. Additional public consultation will be undertaken during the detail design phase, the timing of which has not been scheduled.
“It doesn’t really tell you anything,” stated NEMI Mayor Al MacNevin. “They indicate the TESR will be released early in 2023 but after consultation it will be another length of time before the next step is taken.
“At some point it has to be determined who is going to build it (new bridge) and what is the cost going to be if they are ever actually going to do it,” said Mayor MacNevin.
Justin Bryant, MTO communications coordinator in a statement on behalf of the MTO told The Expositor, “In the event of a full closure of the Little Current swing bridge, the MTO would immediately activate its Continuity of Operations Plan.”
“Depending on the nature of the emergency, the ministry works in collaboration with various agencies including the ministry maintenance contractor, Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada, Ontario Provincial Police, mayor of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands and the Manitoulin Health Centre,” the MTO statement reads.
