LITTLE CURRENT—There was great excitement at the entrance to Manitoulin this past week as the Island received some very good news.
Premier Doug Ford was joined by a number of cabinet ministers, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige, Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands Mayor Al MacNevin, Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg and a number of NEMI councillors and Progressive Conservative party faithful to announce the awarding of the roughly $9 million bid for the detailed design of a new two-lane swing bridge to Stantec Engineering.
“I’ve been telling people that if you didn’t get that bridge fixed, they could throw me off, and I’m not that great a swimmer,” joked Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg at the announcement ceremonies. “So that’s why we’re here today. The swing bridge has a long history, going back to 1912, and it is now considered an Ontario Heritage site. (The swing bridge is officially the oldest piece of infrastructure in the Ministry of Transportation’s inventory.) Locals and travellers alike know the lifeline that that bridge brings to the Island over the last several decades.”
“This is really an exciting day for our council myself, our community and, I think, for anyone living on Manitoulin Island to hear that the project for the Manitoulin Swing Bridge is moving forward into that detailed design stage,” said Mayor MacNevin, “We’re very excited to see this next step take place, and as everybody on the Island knows, it’s become the topic of the day. It’s no longer saying, ‘it’s a sunny, bright day.’ It’s ‘how’s that bridge going?’ So, I’m really happy to have this happen.”
Mayor MacNevin thanked the ministers and premier for coming to the Island and noted that the municipality had prepared sweatshirts “that say swing bridge on them, just to make sure that nobody forgets about the event.”
Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth George Pirie was next up on deck.
“It’s great to be here with Premier Ford and my colleagues for this important announcement,” said Minister Pirie. “We all know that Northern Ontario is a vast region. Perhaps that is why it should come as no surprise that our highway system consists of nearly 11,000 kilometres, roughly 60 percent of the provincial highway network. Ontario’s Northern highways are essential to help people and goods move safely and reliably throughout our products.”
“Infrastructure projects help Northern communities unlock their economic potential and help more people access goods and services like healthcare, education, emergency services and good paying jobs, thanks to the leadership of Premier Ford,” he said. “Our government is making historic investments to build roads and highways in the North and as minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, I’ve been proud to invest nearly $677 million in the Northern Highway Program last year alone to support this network including the current Little Current swing bridge, and other important projects across the province. Today’s announcement is one more way our government is delivering our commitment to protect local economies and create real opportunities for the people who live, work, and do business in Northern Ontario.”
“You know folks, this is an exciting day,” said Premier Ford. “I’ve heard so much about this bridge and finally get to come here and see it.”
Premier Ford illustrated the importance of the bridge to Islanders with a story about a woman he met in the Little Current Tim Horton’s outlet just before arriving at the bridge.
“She goes, ‘I have a big tattoo on my back of the bridge’ and I’m thinking, ‘let’s see,’ that’s how much this is just a game changer for the community,” he said. Although the premier didn’t get the woman’s name, it was later revealed to have been Julie Omnet.
“As Premier you get to announce big projects, 60-storey buildings in downtown Toronto, and this and that, but nothing makes me more happy than coming to communities like this where you’re changing people’s lives,” said Premier Ford. “We’re always going to be there to support you.”
The premier called for a shout out to MPP Rosenberg. “When he first got elected I sat down with Bill and I asked him and I said, ‘Bill, what’s the ask?’ He sent me like a binder, this thick binder of everything from new schools and roads and bridges and long-term care, and we’re just getting down to this, checking out one at a time. So, this couldn’t happen without everyone’s support and community.”
He noted that Grand Council Chief Debassige was also a strong advocate for the project and the premier invited her to say a few words as well.
“The Little Current swing bridge is essentially a lifeline for all of us on Manitoulin Island,” said Grand Council Chief Debassige. “The very first time I was ever on a bridge was to leave this Island, that’s because I was born here like many of the residents here today. Our First Nations also depend on this bridge for their healthcare, for their education, to also be mobile, and they too have been great advocates for the replacement of this bridge. So, I do want to acknowledge our leadership from Sheguiandah, Sheshegwaning, M’Chigeeng, Zhiibaahaasing, Wiikwemkoong, Aundeck Omni Kaning as well our brothers and sisters just across the water in Whitefish River First Nation.”
“This has been a long time coming,” she said. “When I was told that they were going to make a swing bridge announcement, I said, ‘well, it better be better than the one that was before, two years ago, when Minister Rickford was here.’ He came here—and then it was crickets. So, I want to also thank the leadership of Bill, and of course, Mayor MacNevin, we’ve worked together many years, and in my previous roles, and got to know each other.”
“There’s not a gap of love for the Island with all of our leadership from our chiefs to our mayors,” she said. “We want to preserve it, but also how we need to have access safely across for those emergencies and for those times that come. So, this is a welcome announcement. To Manitoulin as a whole, to our First Nations, I would like to thank our provincial government and our premier for being here with us. It’s not too often we have a premier that has this much heart and dedication for the people of the North. And I know, as an Islander, many of us have shared that they don’t care about us in Toronto, but I can say with the help of MPP Rosenberg, and with the vision with our premier, it is becoming a reality. I believe it will bring a lot more opportunities to Manitoulin for us, collectively, to our Nations to our municipalities, so that we can continue on to a beautiful and sustainable future, for all of our citizens.”
Following the speeches, media were able to ask the premier some questions, where it was confirmed that the bridge will be two lanes, that it too will be a swing bridge and that the cost will be approximately $9 million for the detailed design work.
