THUNDER BAY -- Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle says the Ontario government is close to being able to provide a full report about the failure of the Nipigon River Bridge earlier this year.
The Liberal member of cabinet on Thursday said a pair of independent research firms was unable to identify an exact cause, adding he remains as committed as ever to seeing the report made public as quickly as possible and determining the reasons for the Jan. 10 failure.
Gravelle said he’s spoken to Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca and has been assured it will happen in rapid fashion.
“I’m hoping that will happen relatively soon, and certainly sometime in the early fall,” Gravelle said.
Earlier this summer the opposition accused the provincial Liberals of hiding information related to the failure, which saw the west end of the bridge rise 30 centimetres, stopping transportation on the Trans-Canada Highway for 17 hours.
Bolts from the newly opened structure were sent to the National Research Facility in London, Ont.
Conservative transport critic Michael Harris in July said two independent facilities submitted reports and added he believed there was an internal Ministry of Transportation report.
He suggested the province knows what happened and was trying to keep it from the public.
Gravelle said the province takes the matter seriously.
“I think we were all hoping to get the answers to what cause the bridge failure earlier, but the fact is it’s a complex matter. I was told at one point the research involved mechanical, chemical, metallurgical issues,” Gravelle said.
“I’m pleased the information will be forthcoming relatively soon and when we get back to the legislature next week and we begin our session to pinning down that time with Minister Del Duca.”
