Harper announces expansion of local border crossing

Speaking this afternoon at the Waterfront Inn & Conference Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a $44 million rebuild of the Canadian customs plaza at the International Bridge.

The project is expected to take about four years.

It will begin this fall with demolition of houses along Queen Street West.

Reporters were assured today that traffic disruptions will be minimal during the construction project.

The following news releases were issued by the Office of the Prime Minister and by David Orazietti, MPP.

Additional coverage and photos will be added later today.

************************* Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces expansion of border crossing facilities at Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – 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.

************************* Orazietti congratulates federal government on investment to build new bridge plaza in Sault Ste. Marie

Local MPP welcomes greater share of federal resources to boost economy

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - David Orazietti, MPP congratulated Prime Minister Stephen Harper today for delivering infrastructure funding to construct a new bridge plaza in Sault Ste. Marie. “Federal support for a new bridge plaza will help construct an important piece of infrastructure for our community while providing a boost to the local economy,” said Orazietti. “Modernizing the customs facility will improve service for passenger and commercial traffic crossing the international bridge.”

With this investment it is clear that the federal government realizes that the modernization of the International Bridge plaza in Sault Ste. Marie is necessary.

Commercial traffic crossing over the border into Canada is expected to increase by 45 percent to 191,000 trucks per year by 2020.

Orazietti relayed the importance of this project to John Baird, minister of transport and infrastructure at his office in Ottawa, last fall.

In the meeting, the local MPP discussed the St. Mary’s River Bridge Company’s application to the Gateways and Border Crossing Fund for a new customs plaza with his former Queen’s Park colleague.

The McGuinty government and the federal government have worked together in recent months to deliver a number of important infrastructure projects that have provided economic stimulus to Sault Ste. Marie’s economy including:

- $32 million for new infrastructure at Sault College and Algoma University.

- $24 million Invasive Species Centre.

- $22 million for a new Algoma Public Health building.

- $10 million to extend Third Line. - $5 million for the expansion of the Hub Trail and waterfront walkway.

- $3.3 million to improve recreational facilities including the YMCA.

During these challenging financial times both the provincial and federal governments need to provide Sault Ste. Marie with funding to stimulate the economy.

Regardless of political affiliation, Sault Ste. Marie’s MPP will continue to work with the appropriate federal ministers to help secure the necessary financial support to move important community projects forward

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