Victoria seeks bridge cash
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B.C. infrastructure funding may be dried up, but there are other wells to tap, says the City of Victoria.
Facing a $42-million bill to replace the aging Johnson Street Bridge, Victoria is looking for an ally in the Capital Regional District.
Last week it sent a request to the CRD parks committee to back its plea for provincial dollars to bring the E&N rail-trail across the bridge.
“We’re looking at any ministry that has any funding whether it’s Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, anything,” said Chris Causton, chair of CRD parks. “We can make an argument for a trail under any category.”
The E&N rail-trail project is short about $10 million, but part of the trail will be built this year and next.
“We need to bring all these pieces of the pie together, because one doesn’t work without the other,” Causton said.
Last Saturday, the federal Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure pledged $21 million to replace the bridge. The province was quick to make clear it would not follow suit.
“Any infrastructure program is always oversubscribed and that requires some very difficult decisions to be made,” said B.C. Minister Shirley Bond, in an e-mail. “That is the case with the Blue Bridge. It is unfortunate that we are not in a position to provide support for this project.”
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