A report looking into the feasibility of a bridge for Englishtown will be released this month.

The proposed $50 million toll bridge would replace the Englishtown Torquil MacLean cable ferry. The ferry carries an average of 226,000 vehicles a year, but it was out of service several times over the winter.

Merrill MacInnis, the Victoria County councillor for the Englishtown area, says the bridge idea is already popular with residents.

"I haven't heard anyone having a negative attitude about putting a permanent crossing there. People are afraid of jobs being lost, but there's going to be people needed there to collect tolls, maintenance and what have you," MacInnis said.

Provincial Transportation Minister and Glace Bay MLA Geoff MacLellan says he understands this is an important issue.

"They want to see options and we're happy to provide those and we'll look forward to the results and see what happens next," he said.

MacLellan says the study will look at all aspects of construction including the width and height of the structure as well as a draw-bridge option to allow boats to pass through the St Anns Channel.

But those options require funding. MacLellan says there are two possible models — a private partnership or a P3 model. It would likely be amortized over 25 years.

"There'll be provincial investment of course, federal investment — we would hope — and then you have the private sector taking the risk on the build, so that's what a P3 model or toll bridge would look like. Similar to the highway models we have in Nova Scotia," MacLellan said.

He expects the report to be ready by the end of the month, when the Victoria County council will review it.

A study released in June 2015 did a cost analysis of the project, whereas the new study looked at how to actually build the structure.