Still no definite date for Samuel De Champlain Bridge's opening

The opening date of the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge remains a mystery.

While in Montreal on Monday, federal Infrastructure Minister Franois-Philippe Champagne was still unable to say when the bridgewill be open to motorists.

He said the end of June deadline will be met, but it's possible the bridge will only be open in one direction.

The plan was always to open the bridge in two stages, he said. One direction was supposed to open June 3, but that date came and went.

Champagne also reiterated that Signature on the Saint Lawrence (SSL), the consortium behind the project, is facing heavy penalties for missing the initial deadline, which was in December.

The consortium, led by engineering and construction firm SNC-Lavalin, won the $4.2-billion contract knowing late fees will amount to $100,000 per day for the first seven days and $400,000 per day for the next. Thosefees are capped at $150 million.

"We want to be fair and equitable with the SSL consortium, but we will obviously assert our rights and enforce the manufacturer's obligations," Champagne said.