CN has provided the City of Thunder Bay notice that it intends to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision ordering CN to repair and reopen the James Street bridge to all traffic, including cars and trucks.

Mayor Keith Hobbs today made the following statement in response:

“We are beyond disappointed with this move. We are outraged.

We are confident that the decision of the Court of Appeal is correct. We believe CN is using the legal system to delay the inevitable, and that they are still fully responsible for the bridge. They will have to reopen it either now, or later. We call upon CN to do the right thing.

We will vigorously defend any legal tactic presented by CN. This is CN’s bridge. They own it. They need to repair it and reopen it.

In 2015, a wooden bridge in Minnesota owned by CN (called Rat River Bridge) caught fire, and was completely destroyed. CN constructed a brand new bridge in nine days. Our question to CN is, why not us too?”

The James Street bridge is owned, operated, controlled and maintained by CN. It has been closed to vehicle traffic since October 2013 after fire damage.

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Contact:          Mayor Keith Hobbs, 625-3601