LOCATION: Montreal, Quebec
Issue/Source: Victoria Bridge
Date: June 2025
Suggested Responses
- Transport Canada’s objective is to ensure the bridge remains open to road traffic by maintaining it in good condition, thereby supporting public safety and the bridge's longevity.
- Since 1963, the Transport Canada provides yearly statutory payments to the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) in respect of the abolition of tolls on Victoria Bridge at Montreal, and for the maintenance and repair of the bridge's traffic lane.
- The program provides $4.5 million yearly to CN to operate, maintain and repair the traffic lanes of the Victoria Bridge and its approaches. This amount was recently increased from $3.3 million to $4.5 million following approval in 2024 Federal Budget.
- In 2021, Transport Canada announced a contribution agreement of nearly $15 million over three years with CN to carry out rehabilitation work needed to maintain the bridge’s safety and improve access for road vehicles.
- Rehabilitation work will ensure the bridge remains safe and that commuters in the Montreal region can access its roadway.
IF PRESSED
- On statutory payment increase - Since 2016-17, the annual federal contribution of $3.3 million has been deemed insufficient by CN to undertake all the necessary maintenance work on the Victoria Bridge's roadways. As part of the 2024 Federal Budget, Transport Canada sought an annual increase in the statutory payment, as a result the annual contribution increased from $3.3 million to $4.5 million.
- On Rehabilitation work - Rehabilitation work is ongoing, with completion expected in 2027.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- The Victoria Bridge was constructed in 1859, and in 1963, Transport Canada agreed to compensate CN for ceasing toll collection and maintaining and repairing the roadway portion of the bridge. This compensation was in the form of a statutory payment providing for an annual contribution of $3.3 million towards the costs of maintaining, repairing and operating the roadway portion of the bridge.
- The agreement has not affected CN's:
- Right of ownership of the bridge and the roadway facilities; nor
- Power to regulate and control the vehicular traffic allowed to use the bridge.
- Located over the St. Lawrence River, this bridge is a strategic link between Montreal and its South shore, connecting the City of Montreal to the City of Saint-Lambert, in the province of Quebec.
- The bridge is used as an alternative route due to the congestion and the frequent major construction on the road network and the main bridges in the Greater Montreal area.
- Since 1999, the Government of Canada has provided CN with funding to finance major rehabilitation work.
- In 1999 - The total cost of this work was $42 million, shared equally between the two parties, for which the single federal contribution was $21 million.
- In 2021 – Total federal contribution was $14.7 million to carry out major rehabilitation work on the Victoria Bridge over a three-year period. This work was aimed at rehabilitating the bridge's structural elements, as well as improving the approaches and traffic signals to ensure safe and smooth traffic flow on the bridge.
- As part of 2024 Federal Budget, Transport Canada secured $1.2 million in ongoing funding for the maintenance of the Victoria Bridge. Resulting in an increase to the annual statutory payment from $3.3 million to $4.5 million.
This budget decision also included a lump-sum payment of $5.4 million to cover emergency work carried out in 2016 by the Canadian National Railway Company, as well as to cover accumulated and deferred deficits in the annual maintenance budget of recent years.