City councillors supporting the proposed new bridge across the Cataraqui River have a lot more ammunition for the debate.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced Tuesday morning that the province would pledge up to $60 million to fund the third crossing.

Del Duca, joined by Kingston and the Islands MPP Sophie Kiwala and MP Mark Gerretsen, and Mayor Bryan Paterson, announced the funding just hours before city council was to start the first of two meetings to decide if the city would pursue the project.

Del Duca said the decision to fund the province’s portion of the bridge was made in the 2017 budget, but it was important for Kingston residents to know that the provincial government is on board for the $180-million project.

“I wanted to make sure the people of this community know the province is at the table with a funding commitment of up to $60 million,” Del Duca said. “There is a very strong case to be made for the third crossing.”

Del Duca said the announcement’s timing was not meant to influence city council’s vote, and he acknowledged that other municipal councils have decide not to move ahead with projects even with provincial funding.

“There will be a deliberation tonight at city council. We are sincerely hopeful that council will be supportive, but we respect local decision and the local decision-making authority that city council has,” he said.

While there was likely already enough support on city council to carry the vote in the bridge’s favour, Paterson said the province’s pledge was a “critical element” in the discussion.

“This is a huge moment for our city,” Paterson said. “We are going into council tonight to deliberate on the biggest infrastructure project in our city’s history, and one of the big questions has always been will we have support from upper levels of government.”

Paterson said he and city staff have been working, and hoping, to get a commitment from either of the senior levels of government to help convince people worried about the bridge’s $180-million price tag.

“I have been working for the last two and a half years for that. Would I love to have had that answer six months ago? Absolutely. But I will take it today,” he said.

“It is the signal we need going into this debate today.”

Gerretsen, who was at the announcement but did not speak, said Tuesday’s commitment by the Ontario government shows the province is committed to the project and it will trigger the process to secure federal support.

“I think that today is a very, very good day because today sets in motion a whole bunch of different things,” Gerretsen said.

“Up to this point, federally, they have always said the province has to prioritize. Well, the province has now prioritized. That’s what we heard today.”

Gerretsen said he will now need to make sure the province gets the needed information to the federal government so it can consider the bridge for funding.

elferguson@postmedia.com