Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 06/02) - A bridge across the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence would cost less than $50 million to build, and about $4 million a year to operate.

That's what Andrew Gamble, project manager for the Fort Providence Combined Council Alliance (FPCCA) told Yellowknife city councillors on Monday.

The FPCCA is the private corporation that hopes to build the bridge. They hope to present a formal proposal to the territorial government next week.

Gamble said the two lane kilometre-long bridge would be installed at the site of the current ferry crossing. Construction would begin in the fall of 2003 and planners are aiming for the first car to cross in early 2005.

No price has yet been set for a toll, although Gamble indicated it would be a fraction of a cent per kilogram for commercial traffic.

Non-commercial vehicles would have free passage.

If the government approves the plan, the FPCCA will begin an environmental assessment study immediately, and move forward from there.

News of progress on the bridge is being heralded by some members of the Yellowknife business community.

"It's long overdue," said Marvin Robinson, president of RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. "But of course like everything there's economics that have to come into play and the wish list has to make sense financially."

Robinson said trucking companies lose more than $500 a day per truck that has to wait to cross the Mackenzie. Even after a toll is assessed, he still predicted a saving to consumers.

"Basically everything that requires being moved to Yellowknife would definitely have some cost-savings," he said.

City Mayor Gord Van Tighem said he supports the idea of a bridge.

"We've been working towards it for a long time," he said. "If it's now financial viable and supportable, then certainly."

An initial environmental study predicts the bridge would create less environmental harm than the current ferries and ice road, Gamble said.

The FPCCA has secured a commitment from the GNWT that all money currently used to operate the ferries would be diverted into bridge operation. Gamble estimates that would amount to about $2 million a year, although he cautioned that figure could change when the GNWT looks at the proposal.

The current plan is to raise 20 per cent of the equity required for the bridge before building, and then use bridge tolls and the money from the GNWT to finance a 35-year loan. After the 35 years, the FPCCA would hand the bridge over to the GNWT.

Gamble said he is looking forward to a vigorous public debate on the bridge once more details are released.

"We feel that the proposal should be subject to business, public and environmental scrutiny," he said. "And we believe it will stand up to that."