The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) heritage bridge in Mississauga will live on.

Ontario’s government announced today (Dec. 18) that the bridge, which was built in 1934 and declared a heritage structure in 2009, will be rehabilitated instead of replaced.

In November, Ontario's Ministry of Transportation said it preferred to demolish and replace the existing bridge, changing long-standing plans to keep the heritage crossing over the Credit River.

The shift to demolition angered some Mississauga residents, and city council passed a motion objecting to the bridge replacement.

MPP for Mississauga-Lakeshore Rudy Cuzzetto said the government never made a final decision on the heritage structure and they “were looking other ways of maybe building the new bridge.”

"We looked at all the aspects and they agreed with me that the heritage bridge would be a good idea to keep in the community," he said.

Mississauga councillor and chair of the city's heritage committee George Carlson said he was happy the Ontario government pivoted, but it should have been a "straightforward heritage preservation" all along.

"Nothing new became known about the bridge in the last couple weeks, it's the same bridge it always was," he said. "The government changed its mind, which doesn't happen very often."

Town of Port Credit Association (TOPCA) advocated for Mississauga council to formally oppose the bridge demolition and campaigned to raise awareness about the province’s plans.

Dorothy Tomiuk of TOPCA said ensuring the rehabilitation of the bridge allows for long-term preservation is still a concern, but called the government’s reversal a “good news story.”