Federal government backs Doerkson's plan for a 10-lane George Massey Bridge
Canada's transport minister said the federal government will support whatever type of Fraser River crossing the incoming BC Conservative government chooses, clearing the way for a bridge over an immersed tunnel.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
Canada's transport minister said on Oct. 30, 2026 that the federal government will support whichever type of Fraser River crossing BC's incoming government chooses, backing premier-designate Lorne Doerkson's plan for a 10-lane bridge. Daily Hive Vancouver reported the statement, made at a press conference in Delta.
"Let me just say, we support crossing that river, whatever way the Premier tells us to. How about that? And if the Government of British Columbia says it wants to construct a bridge, we're for a bridge," Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said, according to Daily Hive.
MacKinnon spoke while announcing that the federal government had granted national interest status to the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 superport project. He said the federal government wanted to work with Doerkson to complete the crossing quickly.
The NDP argued the funding was at risk
The federal government announced in July 2026 that it would contribute up to $3 billion toward a replacement Fraser River crossing. That commitment was based on the $8.5-billion cost estimate for the NDP's immersed tunnel, announced at the same time and more than double the earlier estimate of $4.15 billion.
Outgoing Premier David Eby had argued that switching to a bridge would put that federal money at risk. An Oct. 16 BC NDP statement said the federal contribution would fall through if the Conservatives changed the project. MacKinnon's Oct. 30 remarks address that directly.
MacKinnon acknowledged it is not yet clear whether the contribution would be subject to a revised agreement, given the expected lower cost of a bridge. Doerkson said he had discussed the crossing with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
What the platform promised
The Conservative platform committed to build a 10-lane bridge (page 11 and 57), publish its budget and schedule before construction starts (page 57), and ask the federal government to apply its contribution of up to $3 billion to the bridge rather than the tunnel (page 57). The platform said the bridge would be built within the $8.5 billion already set aside.
MacKinnon's Oct. 30 statement moves toward that third commitment. See the promise at the BC tracker: George Massey Bridge and federal contribution.
Where the project stands
According to Daily Hive, early construction work on Deas Island has been underway since January 2026. Major construction contracts had not yet been awarded. The main private contractor chosen in 2024 was fired in June 2026 after the province and the firm failed to agree on terms.
Doerkson said at the Oct. 30 event that residents do not care whether the crossing is a bridge, a tunnel or, in his words, a treadmill. "They just want it done," Daily Hive reported him saying.
Residents can follow what the new government does on this promise at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-george-massey-federal-contribution.
Questions this story answers
What did Canada's transport minister say about the George Massey crossing?
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said on Oct. 30, 2026, at a press conference in Delta: 'We support crossing that river, whatever way the Premier tells us to. How about that? And if the Government of British Columbia says it wants to construct a bridge, we're for a bridge.' He said this while announcing that the federal government had granted national interest status to the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 superport project.
What was Doerkson's plan for the George Massey crossing?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson's Conservative Party campaigned on building a new 10-lane George Massey Bridge in place of the BC NDP's plan for a new eight-lane immersed tunnel. Doerkson's platform, on page 57, said the bridge would be built within the money already set aside for the crossing, which page 58 gives as $8.5 billion. The platform also committed to asking the federal government to apply its contribution of up to $3 billion to the bridge rather than the tunnel.
What was the NDP's position on the federal funding?
Outgoing Premier David Eby argued before the election that switching from the tunnel to a bridge would put the federal funding at risk. An Oct. 16 BC NDP statement said the federal contribution would fall through if the Conservatives paused the project. MacKinnon's Oct. 30 remarks contradict that position.
How much did the immersed tunnel cost, and why did the cost rise?
The BC NDP government put the revised cost of the immersed tunnel at $8.5 billion, announced in July 2026. That was more than double the $4.15-billion estimate made about five years earlier, when the province decided to go with a tunnel concept. The original Conservative bridge plan from the Christy Clark era received a lowest fixed-price bid of $2.6 billion in 2017.
What work has already been done on the crossing?
Early construction work and site preparation have been underway since January 2026 on Deas Island, beside the existing tunnel's south entrance. However, according to Daily Hive Vancouver, the main construction contracts for the immersed tunnel had not yet been awarded and major construction had not begun. The main contractor chosen in 2024 was fired in June 2026 after the province and the firm failed to agree on commercial terms.
Why did the federal government say this crossing matters nationally?
MacKinnon said at the Oct. 30 press conference that the federal government sees the crossing as important to traffic flow across the Lower Mainland and to supporting trade infrastructure in the region, linking it to the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 superport. He said the investment is 'a nationally important one' and that the government wanted to work with Doerkson to complete the crossing quickly.
What is the George Massey Bridge promise in the BC Conservative platform?
The Conservative platform's promise on this crossing covers three things: build a 10-lane George Massey Bridge (page 11 and 57), publish the bridge's budget and schedule before construction starts (page 57), and ask the federal government to apply its contribution of up to $3 billion to the bridge rather than the tunnel (page 57). You can see the promise at the BC provincial tracker.
Where can I follow progress on this promise?
The BC provincial promise tracker at voche.me follows the incoming government's commitments, including the George Massey Bridge. See the promise at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-george-massey-bridge and the federal contribution promise at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-george-massey-federal-contribution.
Sources
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