Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 02/04) - Premier Joe Handley says he expects work to begin on the Deh Cho Bridge this fall now that the federal government is offering the project a $3 million boost.

Handley made the announcement Friday after hearing a question from Great Slave MLA Bill Braden, who wanted to know what the territorial government was doing to keep the project alive.

Braden said the business community has expressed doubts that a bridge linking the North Slave to the South will ever get off the ground.

"I think this now gives the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation the working capital that they need in order to continue this project," said Handley, adding that Western Arctic MP, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, was instrumental in securing the cash from the federal government.

The territorial government has already promised $2 million in loan guarantees to the corporation.

Handley said the only potential hold-up to the project is an ongoing environmental review, launched after NWT Chamber of Mines sent a letter of complaint to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The chamber is worried what impact a potential toll would have on industry.

Nonetheless, Handley said he is optimistic work can proceed this year.

"There are things that we are doing right now, but none of them are holding up the process," said Handley.

"The only one that's slowing us down at this point is the environmental assessment, but I'm optimistic we'll work this fall."