Office of the Premier

Governments to complete twinning of TCH in New Brunswick (02/08/14)

NB 816

Aug. 14, 2002

SAINT-LÉONARD (CNB) - Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord today announced their governments' commitment to completing the construction of a four-lane Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) in New Brunswick over five years, on a 50-50 shared cost basis. The 130-km. project is estimated at $400 million.

Video- Quicktime Movie (1) (2) Microsoft WMV (1) (2), Audio - Quicktime (1) (2) - (more audio/video)

Chrétien and Lord also announced their governments will sign, before the end of the fiscal year, a formal agreement confirming this commitment. They also announced their governments have earmarked $270 million on a cost shared basis toward the completion of this project.

"The governments of Canada and New Brunswick have agreed that the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway is the top joint infrastructure priority in New Brunswick," Chrétien said. "My vision is to ensure the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick proceeds as quickly as possible."

"The completion of the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick represents an important investment in a key strategic infrastructure that will help ensure the economic growth and prosperity of New Brunswick," Lord said. "I am pleased to see that both the federal and provincial governments will be honouring their commitment to build this important trade corridor."

The Trans-Canada Highway is a vital transportation link for New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada. It is the major highway carrying commercial and passenger traffic from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, to the rest of Canada and to key markets in the United States.

This large-scale highway improvement project will significantly ease traffic congestion, improve the flow of traffic and goods, and enhance safety. It is an excellent example of co-operation between the Government of Canada and the Government of New Brunswick.

"Investments in this key highway infrastructure project will stimulate job creation in the short term and make the economy more productive and competitive in the long term," Chrétien said.

02/08/14

MEDIA CONTACTS: PMO Press Office, 613-957-5555; Amanda Harpelle or Étienne Allard, Communications, Office of the Premier, New Brunswick, 506-453-2144.

02/08/14