The Champlain Bridge spans the Saint Lawerence river in Montreal, Friday, March 18, 2011.Graham Hughes
The Harper government has announced $158-million to fix a crumbling bridge in Montreal that experts say should be replaced, the second multimillion-dollar federal funding pledge in Quebec this week.
News of the cash injection was delivered by Conservative Senator Larry Smith, the former CFL commissioner who is viewed as one of the Tory's hopes for gaining a seat for the party in Montreal.
The money is aimed at shoring up the Champlain Bridge, a congested span linking Montreal to its South Shore suburbs whose condition has deteriorated to the point of posing a risk of partly collapsing, according to experts.
Ottawa's announcement was made after a Montreal newspaper quoted experts saying the federally-owned bridge was in dire shape and ought to be replaced.
"The safety and security of the Champlain Bridge and of the people crossing it every day are a top priority for our government," Mr. Smith said.
It's the second major cash announcement from the Tories this week in Quebec, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday promised up to $50-million to upgrade the airport in Quebec City. And aside from the Champlain Bridge - the busiest in Canada - another four Montreal-area bridges and structures were earmarked Friday for $70-million in federal maintenance and repair.
Investments in bread-and-butter issues like health care and infrastructure are part of the pre-election "winning issues" package for the Tories, who need to bulk up their Quebec presence in a possible lead-up to an election, a pollster said.
"The Conservatives need to add visibility in Quebec going into an election, because they don't have the critical mass of MPs and cabinet ministers to appear in the media," said Christian Bourque of Léger Marketing.
Federal funding announcements - along with aggravating delays and perennial repairs - have become routine for motorists who cross the Champlain Bridge. The Tories announced another $212-million for repair work to the bridge in 2009.
The latest cash may not succeed in giving the party the pre-electoral bounce it wants. The mayor of the large South Shore suburb of Brossard, Paul Leduc, said he had expected the Tories to announce a date to start building a new bridge. "I'm disappointed. In 10 years this bridge's life will be over, so they should have announced the construction of a new one."