Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Deh Cho Bridge Act, which proposes amendments to update the act to reflect changes and advancements in the Deh Cho Bridge project. The Deh Cho Bridge will provide all-day, year-round access across the Mackenzie River, replacing the operations of the Merv Hardie Ferry and the Mackenzie River ice crossing, and this bill makes three main amendments to support these future operations.
First, all reference to the Deh Cho Bridge Fund is being removed. This special fund is no longer needed, now that the Government of the Northwest Territories has assumed control of the project.
We are also implementing shared liability for tolls. This means that both the registered vehicle owner and the driver may be liable for tolling offences. An automated toll collection system is in development and will allow for more efficient trucking operations by not requiring all commercial vehicles to stop and pay their toll on site. To ensure proper enforcement as part of this system, we require the ability to charge either the driver or the registered owner of the vehicle for tolling offences.
Finally, Bill 15 provides the authority to make regulations respecting the use of commercial
vehicle transponders. A transponder is an industry-standard device that receives and transmits a radio signal to identify an individual vehicle to a computer system. When a commercial driver uses a transponder, our computer will identify the vehicle for a toll, allowing the driver to continue without delay. Transponders will also reduce administrative burdens on both the department and commercial operators.
Mr. Chair, these are relatively minor administrative amendments, but they are also necessary to reflect changes to the project and for the department to move forward with implementation of the toll collection system. Thank you.