‘There must be another way’: New Brunswick border towns worried about highway toll - BERITAJA

A planned road toll for out-of-province drivers coming from Nova Scotia into New Brunswick is starring to plentifulness of controversy.

Business owners and section politicians successful New Brunswick separator communities opportunity they are opposed to the scheme and are worried what the financial implications will be.

“For everybody, they person to watch wherever they walk and they whitethorn determine not to recreation astatine each aliases spell successful a different direction,” said Tom Trueman.

Trueman owns Trueman Blueberry Farms, a business successful Aulac, N.B., known for its caller blueberries and homemade crystal cream.

He estimates about 35 per cent of his business comes from visitors and visitors from Nova Scotia. Not only that, but immoderate of his labor make the travel crossed the border, too.

“It’s money retired of people’s pockets. It will impact our staff. A number of our unit recreation from Nova Scotia,” he said.

Premier Susan Holt’s authorities announced the toll successful its provincial budget successful March, estimating it would bring successful $10.4 cardinal annually erstwhile successful spot successful 2028. The $4 toll would use to out-of-province vehicles connected the Trans-Canada Highway successful Aulac, N.B.

The politician aliases Tantramar, N.B., is besides against the toll, saying it would wounded his community.

“We person a batch of group who unrecorded successful Amherst (Nova Scotia) who travel present for services and businesses that we run here, we person a batch of Mount Allison students who unrecorded successful Nova Scotia who travel here,” said Mayor Andrew Black.

“So that’s the economical drivers and that would beryllium a disappointment for our community.”

He besides says consultations should person taken place, because nary 1 from the provincial authorities reached retired to him aliases his assembly anterior to going nationalist pinch the plan.

“Just decisions for illustration that made without consultation aliases america astatine the array is really frustrating,” said Black.

In the weeks since the toll was proposed, vocal opponents person included Nova Scotia politicians, the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

Even Prime Minister Mark Carney weighed in.

He told reporters past week successful Ottawa that the scheme went against his government’s efforts to region home waste and acquisition barriers.

“No, I’m not happy … pinch the volition of New Brunswick, and we’ll proceed to talk pinch them,” Carney said connected April 23.

Holt has defended the toll, saying the gross is basal to support captious infrastructure and highlighting really New Brunswickers person to salary a toll to participate some Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island via the the Cobequid Pass and Confederation Bridge.

But Trueman questions who will ultilmately salary the price.

“I can’t ideate that there’s not an easier measurement to raise the $10 cardinal that they are suggesting is their affirmative summation from the tolls. There must beryllium different measurement to do that that isn’t arsenic detrimental to the section businesses,” he said.