Confederation Bridge (Canada PEI)- The ISSUES And Concerns With The Bridge High Toll Fee. (you Pay To Leave PEI Not Enter)

Confederation Bridge

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Confederation Bridge

Confederation Bridge is one of the most important bridges in Canada which connects the Prince Edward Island with the rests of the parts of the country. The bridge is adding to the difficulties of the population living in the Prince Edward Island, instead of providing them the opportunity. The government has applied a high tool fee of almost forty-eight dollars, which every person has to pay while leaving the PEI and entering other parts of the country. The issue is quite serious and concerning for the population of Prince Edward Island who has to spend a significant amount just for moving to other parts of the country. The people have shared their concerns and the government is still considering the solutions, while not making the movement across the bridge toll fee. The Confederation Bridge may have been constructed to facilitate the population of Prince Edward Island as well as the rests of the country, however, it is significantly contributing to the financial and psychological constraints of the public across the bridge.

One of the greatest issue with the toll fee is that it is quite high and every time a person leaves the island, while crossing the bridge, he has to pay the amount. A great number of people cross the bridge on a daily basis. Some of them are students, who are the residents of Prince Edward Island and they have to pay the toll fee whenever they leave their homes to reach their educational institutions, which causes an extra expense to them. On the other hand, some of the residents of Prince Edward Island, work in other parts of the country and have to cross the bridge on daily basis to reach their places of work, which takes a significant amount of their paychecks. Another issue in this regard is that a great number of population is settled on the other side of the bridge while having their parents or other family members on Prince Edward Island. In the case of emergency, people have to move frequently across the bridge to tend to different aspects of their life, which is a significant burden on their expenses and all of these scenarios are contributing to the financial constraints of the public while affecting their mental and psychological health (Harding, 2017).

The article by Harding (2017) has highlighted the fact that senators are raising their voices against the discriminative policies of the government towards the residents of PEI. The senator has supported the claim of the general public that the toll policy is unfair for the population who has to move across the bridge because of the fact that there is no toll fee on the Montreal Bridge. Initially the government had announced that the movement across the bridge would be toll fee, however, now the people have to pay the tax amount of forty eights dollars while leaving the island. It is unfair towards the students, residents of the island, the employees who work across the bridge, as well as the tourists. The senator has claimed that the people of PEI should be treated fairly and the toll should be reduced if it cannot be eliminated (Harding, 2017).

The high toll of the Confederation Bridge has become the source of conflict in the Canadian society because of the fact that it is adding to the financial burden of the population who has to move across on daily basis. Although the senators are demanding the government to reduce and even diminish the toll, the government is supporting the stance that it is a new bridge and it was decided to operate it while getting the toll, so it cannot be diminished. The government needs to reconsider its policies and facilitate the public instead of adding to their difficulties.

Reference

Harding, G. (2017). Senator Downe criticizes federal government's policies on bridge tolls. CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/senator-downe-federal-governent-inconsistent-policies-tolls-bridges-1.4115650