Smith Bridge TV
Exploring the issue from different perspectives

The Push for Provincial Action

From supporting a robust industrial sector to fostering community growth and diversification, there's a multitude of reasons why replacing the Smith Bridge in the near term makes sense. Learn more about the MD's ongoing lobbying efforts, and share your own thoughts on this important undertaking.

The Smith Bridge is five years past its engineered life span.

The time to rebuild is now, and we need the Province to prioritize the required funding.

The Push for Provincial Action

From supporting a robust industrial sector to fostering community growth and diversification, there's a multitude of reasons why replacing the Smith Bridge in the near term makes sense. Learn more about the MD's ongoing lobbying efforts, and share your own thoughts on this important undertaking.

Getting this bridge rebuilt in the near term is our foremost strategic priority as Councillors. The Province is well aware of our concerns, and I remain hopeful that our lobbying efforts will bear fruit.”
Murray Kerik
Murray Kerik Reeve, MD of Lesser Slave River
We’d like to make things bigger and better in Smith; attract more people to visit and maybe even settle here. In doing so we would expand the tax base. The larger the tax base, the less burden we are on the government.”
J.D. Dennis
J.D. Dennis Community Member, Hamlet of Smith
Last year we replaced the bridge deck at a cost of about $120,000. Each time we remove a debris pile from one of the piers, it’s $50,000. Continuing to invest money into these temporary band-aid fixes is just not responsible.”
Shari Spencer
Shari Spencer Transportation Coordinator, MD of Lesser Slave River
It’s about safety. Why would you ever operate a piece of equipment to failure? I mean, I don't operate my truck until it fails. I replace it before it fails, because I care about the people in my truck.”
Bill Krepps
Bill Krepps VP Operations (retired), Deltastream Energy
Critical infrastructure is key to ongoing operations. If it isn't maintained, it can be a real bottleneck in our ability to do business economically. The Smith Bridge is a prime example of that.”
Mike Haire
Mike Haire Woodlands Manager, Vanderwell Contractors
My concern is that an engineer will come along, deem the bridge unsafe, and have us shut it down. If this were to happen, it would be catastrophic to the community, and to our industrial sector as a whole.”
Darren Fulmore
Darren Fulmore Councillor, MD of Lesser Slave River
A wider, 2-lane open face bridge would improve access to the Hamlet and maybe boost the community. We’d get the oil companies back and give Smith a chance to boom, to grow. They can't use it now due to the structural issues.”
Michelle Brown
Michelle Brown Community Member, Hamlet of Smith

Province earmarks $1.65 million for engineering studies to replace aging critical infrastructure. ...
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