New Westminster mayor wants provincial talks on replacing Queensborough Bridge

Nearly 90,000 vehicles a day squeeze across the four-lane Queensborough Bridge, and New Westminster's new mayor wants the province to discuss replacing it.

Daniel Fontaine, the city's first Indigenous mayor through his Métis heritage, said in his inaugural address on the evening of Nov. 2, 2026, that he will ask council to support talks with the incoming provincial government on a new bridge or another crossing solution, Daily Hive Vancouver reported. He told Queensborough residents their concerns had been heard. The bridge dates to 1960, and a provincial deck upgrade that began in spring 2026 is expected to finish in fall 2027.

New Westminster has pushed back on added capacity before. A six-lane Pattullo replacement was considered early on, but the city opposed extra lanes over traffic concerns.

Fontaine also said he will work with TransLink and community partners on conditions at New Westminster Station and Columbia Station. His public safety plan includes 12 more community and safety enforcement officers and tighter coordination of bylaw enforcement.

He promised to scrap the previous administration's logo rebrand and restore official recognition of the Royal City name. Council voted in July 2022, under then-mayor Jonathan Cote, to begin phasing it out of municipal branding.

Fontaine's New Westminster Progressives won six of seven council seats, the mayor's chair included, in last month's election. He was chief of staff to Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan from 2005 to 2008.