Justin Trudeau says Liberals would axe Champlain Bridge toll plans

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeausays hisgovernment would reverse theConservative plan to charge tolls todrivers using Montreal's new Champlain Bridge.

Construction of the new bridge, replacing the rapidly aging structure that currently connects the city to the South Shore, is already underway.

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"The ChamplainBridge is a vital piece of infrastructure, not just for Quebecers who use it every day, but for Canada," Trudeau said during a campaign stop in Brossard this morning.

"Decisions about its future should not be taken lightly."

The bridge is expected to cost$4.23 billion.

The Conservative government has said that, in order to help offset the costs, it would require drivers to pay a toll.

According to a 2014 report compiled by the parliamentary budget officer, the newChamplainBridge needs a toll of between $2.60 and $3.90 for each passage if it's to pay for itself,

The decision has been widely criticized bythe Conservatives' political opponents, who argue a toll system would increase congestion. The NDP has argued a toll would hitlower-income families and workerswho commute to work in the city the hardest.

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Montreal's mayorDenis Coderre, a former Liberal cabinet minister,has also voiced his opposition to the toll plan.

"It's not a new bridge. It's a replacement bridge, and it'sinfrastructure that is part of the Canadian economy,"Coderre said, flanked by Trudeau at a news conference at Montreal City Hall.

Coderre announced his own election wish-list yesterday that included investments in social housing and public transit, as well as$77 million a year for infrastructure, with funding based on municipalities' population densities.

Last week,Trudeauannounced a plan to spend $125 billion on infrastructure over the next decade,nearly double the Conservative commitment.

Trudeausaid the plan would create long-term economic growth but would lead to three years of deficit spending before balancing the budget in 2019.

Bridge scheduled to open in 2018

Engineering giantSNC-Lavalinhas the contract to build the bridge, slated to open in 2018.

The Champlain is thebusiest bridge in Canada. Montreal's bridge corporationestimates nearly 60-million vehicles drive over it each year.

But the structure is in bad shape. An inspection report released in July found cracks, splits insupport cables, corrosion and surface deterioration onthe steel-truss cantileverbridge.

The bridge corporation insists the 53-year-oldChamplain Bridge is still safe to drive on. At least $127 million havebeen allocated for repairsin 2015 alone.