Details of a budget review ordered for the Gordie Howe International Bridge are starting to emerge.
Canadian Press, reporting on documents obtained through an Access to Information Act request, says the review was ordered over fears the cost of constructing the new border crossing would run over budget. Dollar figures were redacted from the documents.
The results of the review were presented to federal government officials in October.
It says the review came after the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority heard concerns from the three consortiums bidding on the project that they would not be able to meet government budget expectations.
A statement sent to BlackburnNews.com from Mark Butler at the authority says, "The [Request for Proposals] period allows for and encourages open dialogue between the WDBA and the short-listed proponents. As part of our due diligence, and in response to the dialogue with our proponents, WDBA initiated a review of the project requirements for the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project."
The federal government has said the total cost will be around $4.8-billion. That figure has not been updated since 2016, and Butler told BlackburnNews.com on Tuesday a new estimate will not be available until the winning proponent is chosen in June.
Federal government officials could find out at that time if savings highlighted in the review are doable.
Contacted by BlackburnNews.com to confirm details of CPs reporting, Press Secretary for Office of the Infrastructure Minister Brook Simpson said he did not dispute any of the details in the report.
Construction on the new span is expected to start this fall and take four or five years to complete with the bridge opening to traffic, possibly in 2022.