The province has announced EllisDon has been selected to build the new Manitoulin Island swing bridge at Little Current, but has not provided details on the project’s cost or timeline.
Headquartered in Mississauga, EllisDon is a multi-faceted construction firm serving industries including aviation, education, health care, and public and government infrastructure.
Recent projects in Northern Ontario worked on by the company include the Ontario Northland train shelters located across the northeast, North Bay’s recreation and community centre, and Algoma Steel’s electric arc furnace project in Sault Ste. Marie.
George Pirie, the province’s minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, was in Little Current Tuesday to make the announcement.
“The Little Current Swing Bridge is a vital connection for Manitoulin Island residents, businesses, and visitors. As the Island’s only year-round road crossing, it supports access to jobs, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities across the region,” Pirie said in a provincial news release.
“Our government is proud to be taking another important step toward replacing this critical piece of infrastructure while preserving its iconic swing bridge design. This investment will help keep people and goods moving safely and reliably for decades to come, while protecting the unique character of this important gateway to Manitoulin Island.”
The news comes nearly a year after the province awarded Stantec the $9-million detailed design contract for the truss bridge, which will feature two lanes, a pedestrian walkway, and a bike lane.
Planning for the span’s replacement has been in the works for nearly a decade. The Ministry of Transportation identified in 2017 that the bridge, which is now 113 years old, would need replacing.
After years of consultation, the province announced in 2021 it had chosen a new design for the bridge, and two years later, it had completed the planning, preliminary design, and environmental assessment, which was also completed by Stantec.
The news was well received by northern leaders.
"Selecting a construction manager is another important step toward completing the replacement of the Little Current Swing Bridge,” Dave Plourde, president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, said in a news release.
“This critical connection will benefit year-round and seasonal residents while supporting tourism and economic growth on Manitoulin Island. Investments in northern infrastructure, including this bridge and the four-laning of Highways 11 and 17, are essential to the safety, reliability and long-term prosperity of our communities, province and country."
Completed in 1913 as a rail crossing before being converted for vehicular traffic, the single-lane bridge crosses the North Channel in the upper part of Georgian Bay in Lake Huron. It provides the only year-round vehicular access between Manitoulin and the rest of Ontario.
While the bridge remains closed to marine traffic through the winter months, during the summer, it swings open once per hour, every hour, to let boats pass through the channel.
It’s become an iconic symbol for Manitoulin Island, which is a popular summer destination for cottage owners and tourists.
During peak summer months, some 4,500 vehicles rely on the bridge each day.
