5 proposals for bridge fabrication yard in Borden-Carleton

Five proposals for redevelopment of the former Confederation Bridge fabrication yard at Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., are now in the hands of provincial and municipal officials. 

The 45-hectare cliffside site, with stunning views of the Northumberland Strait and the bridge, is where large concrete components were created for the span, which opened in 1997 — more than 27 years ago.

Requests for the latest proposals to develop the site closed Nov. 13. Innovation P.E.I. owns the land, where cattle grazed on green pastures prior to the construction of the bridge.

"From here we're going to put in place a selection committee, which will review the submissions and rank them," said Cory Deagle, P.E.I. minister of economic development, innovation and trade. 

"We'll then share that information with the town and then eventually the town will hold a public meeting and we'll support that." 

The selection committee will be made up of senior government bureaucrats and "the town would also have involvement," Deagle said Friday at the P.E.I. Legislature. 

The public meeting will likely be held in 2025, Deagle said, and the public will have a chance to provide feedback.

Deputy Mayor Larry Allen, in a statement to CBC News on behalf of the Town of Borden-Carleton, confirmed that five submissions had been received and a public meeting will follow in the new year.

"That's a pretty good number, to have five responses to the RFP [request for proposals]," said Matt MacFarlane, the Green Party MLA for Borden-Kinkora.

MacFarlane called a meeting two months ago to gather public opinion about the process, and planned to draft a letter to provincial officials about what he heard. He hopes that meeting might have encouraged some proposals to come forward. 

He'd like to see Borden-Carleton hold a town hall meeting to discuss all the proposals equally and "have a fulsome discussion." But he worries the top proposal will be pushed forward as the only choice and a done deal. 

"Is that going to lead the municipality with potentially a bias in favour of one proposal or another and not give the townspeople the option of having a general discussion on all of them … with a level playing field?" MacFarlane said. "Is it going to be fair?" 

Deagle offered assurances that it would be.

"The town ultimately will have the final say on what goes forward," Deagle said. He added, "It could be nothing."