Statement from Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown on the one year anniversary of the closure of the Nipigon Bridge

Statement from Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown on the one year anniversary of the closure of the Nipigon Bridge:

“Today marks the one year anniversary of the failure of the Nipigon Bridge.

“The shutdown of the Nipigon Bridge literally split our province in two, an effective metaphor for how this Liberal Government has treated northern Ontario. Whether it’s skyrocketing electricity prices, cuts to northern hospitals, or the allocation of infrastructure funding, every step of the way, this government has treated the region as an afterthought. After all, this is the same government that hosts announcements in Richmond Hill for northern programs.

“It seems that if this government isn’t building bridges upside down they’re breaking in two, and because of a lack of Wynne Liberal oversight, it’s the taxpayers who are left to foot the bill. In the case of the Nipigon Bridge, taxpayers could be on the hook for millions of dollars to repair the bridge.

“The Liberal Government’s own report found that it was their own negligence that led to the vital bridge closure. There was a clear lack of oversight and inspection as well as a number of suspect design flaws, all of it putting the lives of Ontarians at risk. If the Wynne Liberals can’t build a bridge without it breaking in two, how can the people of Ontario trust them to spend their promised billions on infrastructure effectively?”