Prince Township Secures $900,000 Loan for New Gagnon Road Bridge

Drivers in Prince Township, Ontario, can now traverse a new two-lane bridge over the Big Carp River, replacing the previous one-lane structure. The new bridge was substantially completed in December, marking a significant upgrade for the local infrastructure. To finance the construction costs, the township has authorized a loan of $900,000 from the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (OILC), which will take 15 years to repay.

During a special council meeting on February 11, officials outlined the financial details surrounding the bridge project. The council had previously applied for the loan in the summer of 2023 after receiving a tender from Phillips Haulage totaling $1.7 million before HST. This amount was more than 70 percent higher than the original estimate of $968,000 provided by Tulloch Engineering Inc. in 2024. The only other tender reviewed by Tulloch was even higher, quoted at $2.2 million.

To facilitate the loan, Prince Township will issue a debenture, allowing the repayment of the principal amount of $900,000 plus $314,000 in interest over a span of 60 quarterly installments, concluding in March 2041. Council members authorized both Mayor Melanie Mageran and Treasurer Megha Trivedi to sign the necessary documents. Trivedi will also serve as the acting clerk during the absence of the township clerk, Sam Carolei.

“There’s a lot of paperwork to go through for loans of this size,” Mageran stated, highlighting the complexity of municipal financing.

The construction costs exceeding the loan amount will be covered through the township’s reserves, supplemented by federal and provincial grants. These include funding from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF), previously known as the federal gas tax, and the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support Fund (NORDS).

Notably, the new bridge is a precast three-sided concrete structure, designed with an expected lifespan of 75 to 100 years. The council opted for this durable design over a less expensive corrugated steel structure, which would have required more maintenance and was estimated to last only 50 years.

This infrastructure project represents a critical investment in the township’s future, ensuring safe passage for drivers and enhancing the overall resilience of local transportation networks.