Suggests quicker action on issue if Tory MPP had been elected
MANITOULIN—The author of the ‘Fund Bridge Replacement Now!’ petition on Change.org has received almost 1,000 signatures and even had a call from Premier Doug Ford himself.
Bay Estates’ resident Tony Ferro said he was fed up with the constant interruptions caused by breakdowns of the Manitoulin swing bridge and decided to take personal action—launching the online petition and personally reaching out to Premier Doug Ford. To Mr. Ferro’s surprise, the premier called him back on Saturday.
“I called him on his cell at first, but he doesn’t answer unless the call is verified with a text,” said Mr. Ferro. “So, I sent him a text.”
A few days later Mr. Ferro answered his phone to discover Premier Ford on the other end.
While it is to be expected that the political leader of the nation’s largest province would not necessarily be on top of the details of a small bridge in Northern Ontario, Mr. Ferro said that Premier Ford was open to listening to his concerns and that he would look into it.
“He told me the biggest issue is that we don’t have a representative with the PC party,” said Mr. Ferro. With 88 PC representatives at the table lobbying for their constituencies it is reasonable that their voices are louder the premier explained.
The Bay Estates’ resident said he agrees with the premier on the inability of the current representative MPP Mike Mantha, currently sitting as an independent, to gain any traction for Algoma-Manitoulin. He expressed surprise that Mr. Mantha was still in the legislature.
Mr. Ferro took great pains to explain the vital role the bridge plays in maintaining a link to the mainland for medical and economic concerns. The Chi-Cheemaun ferry is a link to the southern part of the province, but that link only operates six months of the year.
Mr. Ferro said that the premier ended on a positive note, committing to “look into the file.”
“I am glad we have a premier who will call you back,” said Mr. Ferro. “We need a prime minister like that too.”
The petition has been forwarded to federal Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes and MPP Michael Mantha.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) responded to this newspaper’s queries on the swing bridge following the breakdowns earlier this month, including asking for a definitive timeline as to when Islanders could expect work to commence.
“The Little Current Swing Bridge has served as a vital transportation link since 1913, connecting Manitoulin Island to the mainland,” an emailed response from Tanya Blazina, senior media relations officer with the MTO stated. “It is a crucial infrastructure component for both residents and tourists, facilitating the movement of people and goods across the waterway.”
“The Little Current Swing Bridge was closed for emergency repairs on August 15, 2024,” she continued. “Our maintenance contractor worked quickly to repair the wedge system to allow traffic on the bridge deck, prior to swinging for marine traffic. The bridge was reopened to vehicular traffic on August 15, 2024, however remained closed to marine traffic while additional repairs were completed. The Little Current Swing Bridge resumed swings for marine traffic on August 16, 2024.”
“The MTO has completed the planning, preliminary design and environmental assessment for the replacement of the Little Current Swing Bridge,” Ms. Blazina said. “The next stage of design procurement is anticipated to begin later this year. In the interim, the ministry will continue to monitor and maintain the existing bridge to ensure it remains in safe operational condition.”
Ms. Blazina then pointed to Transport Canada’s Navigable Waters Bridges Regulations regarding the “dawn to dusk, every hour on the hour” bridge swing. However, Ontario’s other swing bridge at Wasauksing, which is also governed under Transport Canada, has timed swings from April to November which are not every hour on the hour from dawn until dusk. At its peak, June 15 to August 31, the Wasauksing swing bridge swings eight times a day.
