Kingston's LaSalle Causeway has been closed since the end of March, 2024 after its century-old Bascule bridge was damaged.
Cruise companies and other businesses have been pushing Public Services and Procurement Canada for a solution in time to save the tourism season and have even appealed to the Prime Minister, but say all options being presented would take too long.Kingston's LaSalle Causeway has been closed since the end of March 2024 after its century-old Bascule bridge was damaged. The federal department that operates the closed LaSalle Causeway in Kingston, Ont.
For local businesses already feeling the crunch of the bridge closure, all three options PSPC has proposed have one problem in common: they're too slow."We have been greeted with a cavalier attitude from officials who are so tangled up in their own red tape that they won't listen to solutions other than their own," said St. Lawrence Cruise Lines president Jason Clark."This is a federal government mess," he said.
Part of the crossing is a Bascule bridge, which uses a heavy counterweight to let boats through. But it's been closed since March 30, after PSPC said a steel truss that supports the weight was damaged while work was underway to strengthen it. Taking out the concrete section, like removing the damaged bridge itself, would only allow marine traffic through, the department stated.
As of last week, his company had been forced to cancel two cruises, a loss of roughly $350,000 in ticket revenue alone. Clark said they've since had to cancel a third sailing and are staring down a fourth.The Kingston Marina typically welcomes six to 12 mega yachts each year, big spenders who shop and stay downtown, said owner Bob Clark. .
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