‘Burdened with that hurdle’: Small businesses call on feds to ditch Confederation Bridge toll [Video]

When Joe Sawler started selling to businesses off-Island, he found himself taking short but expensive work trips across the Confederation Bridge.

The owner of JustJoes Automotive in Stratford, P.E.I., said he now finds himself parking in Cape Jourimain, N.B., unloading his truck, and then promptly pulling a U-turn for the return journey back over the 12.9-kilometre bridge.

“For that 30 minutes of time to cost $50 — it’s tough,” Sawler said.

The routine costs have Sawler throwing his support behind a recent effort from the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses to end the toll on the Confederation Bridge.

On Tuesday, the CFIB launched an awareness campaign dubbed “Free the Bridge,” calling on federal officials and 2025 federal election candidates to “seriously consider” removing the $50.25 toll to leave the Island. (That’s a …