'It's been a long time coming': New bridge named after political pioneer

The bridge that connects Moncton to Riverview has a name.... finally.

Construction on the 240-metre bridge was completed in 2021, but the structure didn't have an official name until Thursday.

The Honourable Brenda Robertson Bridge was named after a political pioneer in New Brunswick.

Robertson was the first woman elected to the province's legislative assembly and the first woman to become a cabinet minister in New Brunswick.

The late senator was first elected to the legislature in 1967 and was re-elected four times.

Several members of Robertson's family were on hand for Thursday's announcement in Riverview, including her son Doug.

"We are so incredibly proud of what our mother stood for. Her values and her work ethic and the things that shaped her career and life," said Robertson. "In the senate she worked tirelessly for the underprivileged and the forgotten, championing issues of health care, accessibility, and social services reform."

Health Minister Bruce Fitch, a long-time Riverview resident like Robertson, spoke about the naming of the bridge after the announcement.

"This is a real good honour and I'm glad that we were able to do this. It's been a long time coming," said Fitch.

New Brunswick politicians pose at the officially naming of the new bridge connecting Riverview and Moncton on Oct. 5, 2023

Recently appointed Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames called Robertson a "trailblazer" and explained why it took so long to come up with a name for the bridge.

"There was a number of things really. The important thing was to get the bridge open, get it going. COVID had its effect. When I came onboard it was just one of the many files that I thought, let's get this done and looked after," said Ames.

Riverview Mayor Andrew LeBlanc said there's no question Robertson has left a great legacy in the community.

"I certainly think that today's announcement is a fitting tribute to the work that she's done in our community and to support, not only Riverview residents, but New Brunswickers and Canadians," said LeBlanc.

Fitch said Greater Moncton now has two great landmarks as bookends.

One, the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport in Dieppe, named after the first Acadian to become Governor General of Canada.

"And now in Riverview you've got the bridge named after Brenda Robertson, an individual that had a number of firsts here in the Province of New Brunswick," said Fitch.

The new bridge replaced the former causeway which was built in the late 1960s.

It took four years to build and the entire cost of the Petitcodiac River restoration project was $121 million. 

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