Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces expansion of border crossing facilities at Sault Ste. Marie international bridge

September 02, 2009

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO – Travelers who rely on the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge will be able to count on reduced traffic congestion and improved border security thanks to a major expansion and redevelopment of the bridge’s Canadian Customs Plaza, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today.

“Our government believes that Sault Ste. Marie holds tremendous potential as a centre of expanding trade and commerce between Canada and the United States,” said the Prime Minister who was joined by Minister of Transport John Baird and Sault Ste. Marie Mayor John Rowswell.  “This construction project will create jobs in Sault Ste. Marie right away. When completed, the new plaza will give the Canada Border Services Agency the facilities they need to keep Canadians safe and to keep travel and trade moving. This is the right move for Canada and the right move for families and businesses in Sault Ste. Marie”

The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which connects Ontario and Michigan, is a vital corridor for the region’s trade and tourism and is crucial to Northern Ontario’s economy. Approximately $1.8 billion in trade crosses the border here each year, 70 per cent of which are Canadian exports to the United States. It is also Canada’s tenth-busiest passenger crossing; in 2008 it handled over 1.5 million passenger vehicles.

The Sault Bridge project includes the expansion and redesigning of the existing Canadian Port of Entry located within the bridge’s Customs Plaza.  The project will include the construction of new commercial and travelers’ examination facilities and a new inspection lane for buses.  The project will also include new facilities designed to take advantage of the NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) frequent traveler programs. The project is due to begin in the fall of 2009 and be completed by 2014. Work on the Plaza will be timed to minimize disruptions of existing bridge traffic.

Federal funding for the expansion and redevelopment of the Canadian Customs Plaza is conditional on the project’s meeting all applicable federal eligibility requirements under the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund and adherence to all other federal requirements.
 


Backgrounder

GATEWAYS AND BORDER CROSSINGS FUND

On September 2, 2009 Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced $44 million in new funding to redevelop the Canadian Customs Plaza at the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. 

This investment is being allocated from the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund and is part of the Harper Government’s Building Canada Plan, which provides long-term, stable and predictable funding to help meet infrastructure needs across Canada.

The $2.1 billion Gateways and Border Crossings Fund is a merit-based program focused on projects that will improve the flow of people and goods between Canada and the rest of the world.

The Fund provides support for transportation infrastructure and related initiatives to develop and exploit Canada’s strategic gateways, trade corridors and border crossings. Eligible projects include border facilities affected by increased trade flows, international bridges and tunnels, the core National Highway System, short-line rail, short-sea shipping and intelligent transportation systems. All projects approved under the Fund must meet one of the following priorities:
 

• Enhancing Canada’s economic competitiveness and facilitating interprovincial and international trade and travel by improving the efficiency and productivity of gateways, trade corridors, and assets of national significance;
• Facilitating integration of Canada’s international gateways and borders into the national transportation system through investments in inter-modal links and connectors and leading-edge technologies, and by eliminating bottlenecks where there is a heavy flow of traffic;
• Improving the quality of life of Canadians by reducing congestion, minimizing the environmental impacts of transportation projects and improving safety and security; and
• Advancing knowledge of Canada’s transportation systems (for example, through data collection, performance measures, research and development) to promote long-term planning investment and innovative technologies.