News release

Nova Scotia, Transport Canada Sign New Canso Causeway Agreement

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (Oct. 2007 - Feb. 2021)

Repairs to the swing bridge are part of a new agreement with Transport Canada that transfers administration and control of the Canso Causeway to the province.

"Assuming full control of the Canso Causeway is good news for the province. The causeway is a critical piece of infrastructure, linking Cape Breton and Newfoundland to mainland Nova Scotia," said Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

The federal government will invest $9 million toward repairing the causeway, which will include upgrades to the mechanical, electrical and structural components of the swing bridge. The repairs will extend the bridge's life by about 25 years.

"The government of Canada is proud to strengthen the economies of communities in Atlantic Canada through the transfer of the Canso Causeway and swing bridge, and through our investment in this critical intra-provincial transportation infrastructure," said Lisa Raitt, Federal Minister of Transport.

The federal government will continue to own and maintain the canal and navigational locks. The agreement replaces the original one signed in 1953.