Transport Canada has awarded Dexter Construction a $32-million contract to replace the movable transfer bridge at the Souris ferry terminal in Prince Edward Island.
The project will be managed by a Bedford, N.S.-based construction company responsible for updating a vital piece of infrastructure that links ferries to the terminal, enabling passengers and vehicles to safely enter and exit.
The Souris terminal is Prince Edward Island’s link to the year-round ferry service to Cap-aux-Meules, Que. The link is particularly important for the Magdalen Islands, where the ferry is a vital supply artery for basic goods, medicines and passenger and vehicle traffic.
The service carries some 135,000 passengers and 59,000 vehicles a year, making the terminal an important part of regional transportation and supply chains.
Design work on the new movable transfer bridge will begin now, with construction expected to begin later in 2026. The replacement structure is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2028.
The terminal has already been equipped with a fixed transfer bridge to keep the ferry service running during construction.
Transport Canada issued the request for proposals for the replacement project in April and awarded the contract in July.
The project is being funded through the Ferry Services Contribution Program, a federal program that provides support for the maintenance of three interprovincial ferry services that have been identified as essential to regional mobility and economic activity across Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec.
All three federally subsidized ferry services contribute an estimated $265 million to the Canadian economy each year.
So the Souris project is far more than just a new bridge. The investment will upgrade the terminal’s infrastructure while ensuring reliable access for ferries, and is expected to strengthen a vital transportation link for residents, businesses and supply chains serving the Magdalen Islands.
