Confederation Bridge
Cape Jourimain Nature Centre is located at the foot of the Confederation Bridge that stretches 13 km (8 miles) across the Northumberland Strait joining the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Since Prince Edward Island joined Canada in 1873, the federal government has had an obligation to provide islanders with an effective year-round transportation system to and from the island. Schooners, iceboats and car ferries were the bridge's predecessors. You can learn more about the history of ferries and iceboats in our exhibit hall. You can also join a guided walk or meet one of our staff at a viewing area to learn more about the bridge's history and construction.
Cape Jourimain was chosen as the location for the bridge because it is the closest point between the PEI and the mainland, and because an earlier effort to create a "fixed" link had already secured some of the necessary land and built the approach causeway from the mainland across Trenholm and Jourimain Islands.
Cape Jourimain Nature Centre was created to help minimize impacts that increased visitors might have on the Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area and to provide them with a way to enjoy and learn about the area without harming it. Another motivation for the establishment of the Centre was to create jobs for the local communities that have been negatively affected by the termination of the Cape Tormentine - Borden ferry service.
The Bridge was completed in 1997 and is owned and operated by Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd.
As of 2006, Cape Jourimain Nature Centre is the location for the pedestrian and cyclist shuttle service operated by Straight Crossing Bridge Ltd.
More Information
For more about the Bridge and shuttle service including rates, visit the Confederation Bridge website.