The New Brunswick provincial government is considering implementing highway tolls between major cities.
New Brunswick is often derided as the “Drive-Through Province,” as drivers seem to have little incentive to get off the highways and travel the province’s secondary roads. That might change, though, with the numbers the Liberal government is bandying about. In the diagram here, there’s a list of suggested toll booths, and the cost of driving between them. Under one model, a simple commute between Saint John and Rothesay could set car drivers back $6.30, and trucks could pay $25.20. You can see the whole chart here.
Another model would see an emphasis on tolls collected from longer routes, not commutes. Under this model (Model 1 in the chart), users would pay around $6 to drive from Moncton to Fredericton in a car, and trucks would pay $24.
The other model on the chart would emphasize tolls at the province’s entry points; this would raise less revenue, but would have a smaller penalty on drivers who only wish to drive inside New Brunswick. In theory, this model could also be combined with tolling inside the province to raise revenue even further.
No fees have been proposed for motorcyclists, but expect to see two-wheelers charged. On Nova Scotia’s Cobequid Pass, the closest toll highway to New Brunswick, motorcycles pay the same as cars ($4). However, the Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick to PEI has always given motorcycles a far reduced rate (currently $18,50 for motorcycles, as opposed to $46 for cars).
The provincial government is proposing the tolls as a means to address the massive deficit — more details here. They were last proposed under Bernard Lord’s Tory government in the mid-2000s, but the idea was scrapped due to opposition; the remnants of what was the initial stages of toll booth construction can still be seen on major highways.
This will help keep people in NB.
Idiots
Roger Melanson is either extremely stupid or lying through his teeth.
First of all, the vast majority of forum posts are against the tolls. Therefore, the Times and Transcript’s headline: “Tolls most popular with public says Boudreau” not only shows Boudreau as lying, but it’s a failure of the Time and Transcript reporters to put Boudreau in his place.
Secondly, anyone who finished second grade can see the stupidity in tolls, let me explain it to Roger: Assume the province wants $100 Million dollars. Then the NB population will pay $100 Million dollars. But if you build a toll to collect this money, and the toll will cost $10 Million dollars plus $4 Million per year, then the NB population will have to pay $150 Million dollars over the next 10 years. Why in the hell can’t you accept that you’re wrong Roger Melanson. I realize that there will be some income from Nova Scotia and PEI, but then again, I’m convinced that the tolls will cost double what they’re estimated to be.
Thirdly, if Roger is as shady as Victor Boudreau, Brian Gallant and Shawn Graham, I’m convinced that Roger ~does~ know that he will be doubling our burden with the tolls, but could care less about you because he wants to pocket some of that extra money in his own pockets, and in the pockets of his rich contractor friends.
We are going to be locked into our individual cities… a pensioner on a limited income…cut back on the pumped up civil service and big pensions
Bloody stupid of them. That was started, faltered & ended a long time ago here. Spend within our means here in NB & that means the pink elephant in the room must be addressed: bilingualism. We’re killing ourselves w/ it. Seriously, we are spending WAY beyond our means. I just wonder who will consider their own potential political suicide by speaking about this seriously.
And for the love of all that’s holy, start utilising our natural gas resources here. Just regulate it properly from the start & begin what needs to be begun.
Tolls? We don’t need no stiknin’ tolls…!
Probably gonna get it rammed down our throats all the same PLUS a GST rise. I hold out (false?) hope that bikes will get a break…
A career in Public Service is not easy, always being criticized and seen as not doing things right by one side or the other. My hat goes off to those who choose this path.
However, NB politicians must take a Common Sense approach when looking for solutions to the province’s debt issue. Quick fixes (i.e. Toll booths, call centers, companies looking to use fracking, etc) are not the answer. Call centers disappear as soon as the tax credit disappears, fracking destroys the land and the water, toll booths (as proposed) will make an already difficult life financially even more difficult.
Living in the only officially bilingual province in the country and it being one of the smallest provinces raises questions…..how can this province, whose population (as of July 1, 2012 Stats Canada) aged 65 and over, the second highest figure nationally, living on fixed incomes, continue to financially support dual services. NB has been paying for these dual services since 1969. When questioning why our provincial debt is fast approaching $13 Billion, one only has to look at this expense. Hypothetically speaking each individual (man women and child) can add $17,083 to their own individual debt.
The following is an excerpt from the Financial Post January 16th, 2012
” While Ontario spends the most on bilingual services, New Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, spends the second most annually at $85 million.
Quebec rounds out the top three with an annual bilingual cost of $50 million.”
We in New Brunswick must start paying closer attention to what our government is doing. They are our elected officials and if they are not governing with due diligence then we must speak up.
I am not against bilingualism, what I am against is living beyond our means. New Brunswick is a beautiful province, it was said to me on one occasion by a professional that this province is Canada’s best kept secret. Why must we carry this financial burden and make no mistake this is our burden, addressed by government with constant tax increases and proposed “toll booths.”
I call on the Government of New Brunswick to stand up and do what’s right for the province and for the people. Start looking at the real reasons for our debt and have the courage to do what is necessary to put the province on the road to recovery.
Wow.. wonder how on earth this will happen. Does that mean I have to pay a toll to go to work and then again to go home.. if it’s $6.30 each way or just the one…
Is this being applied to TCH? would that be legal? Weren’t / aren’t they cost shared / funded federally? I can see this for an highway they 100% paid for (I know there are private highways in TO with tolls right, correct me if I’m wrong) but NB still gets equalization don’t they? so people in other provinces Federal taxes help pay for and possibly maintain these roads. So how they hell can a province up and decide that they will toll ‘if’ this is the TCH?
Lazy liberals, can’t find a way to do with what they have so they just take more, spend foolishly and dig deeper holes. The planned $15 million to spent on Martello Tower is one example of ideology leadership.
Did the gov’t not learn from the first costly failure that the people of NB do not want tolls. The province lost a ton of money and was voted out largely due to the tolls.
This is bullshit ..anything to fuck the people .. Wowwwww .. Fucking sad …
I’ve enjoyed traveling down east, but this is essentially a tax for coming down there to spend my touring money? Well, there are lots of other places to go.
Let’s hope it doesn’t happen.
What about the people who live in New Brunswick and travel to Nova Scotia for work. I am a nurse and I would simply move to Nova Scotia. Instead of giving my $35,000/year income taxes to the NB government plus the $10/day fee I would be charged to go to work every day, I would easily move to Nova Scotia where they seem to at least pretend to have their s**t together!
Great. Now you’d be held hostage for a $10 fee just to go through the corner of NB to get to PEI. 🙁
Since truckers pay gas tax based on where miles are driven, an increase in tax would not disadvantage them to out of province companies. The system is already in place and there would be no additional cost. Increasing the tax would also encourage people to choose a more fuel efficient vehicle. The down side is voters focus on gas prices and would affect reelection.
Just raise the taxes at the pumps. Oh, wait…
Tim is right, when i’m in my big truck, I am not spending $100 in fuel to avoid a $25 toll, i’m gonna pay it, and pass the bill onto you. Planning a new highway and making it a toll route is one thing. Taking an existing taxpayer built hiway and adding a toll (double taxation really) and then suffering the cost of transportation costs added to your purchases at th store…. ludicrously.
Guess thats what u get voting libtards. Waste money then squeeze more outta people. Long live avoid toll option on gps. And locals u think let tourists pay you can avoid them…… Reality check all prices go up in stores cause truckers will barrel the cost to the end user
Let’s keep the political trolling outside of CMG, Tim.
As locals, you’ll know how to avoid them. Let visitors pay. 😉
Hmhh, that would make popping across the Nova Scotia or Quebec borders pricey for a shop/event, and I see no mention of charges for bikes on the charts – maybe we’d be free? :). Though likely not …
Totally rediculous! They’re already threatening to close hospitals and schools.
I guess tourism income dollars mean nothing.