Everybody’s lauding the opening of the new Port Mann bridge, even cel­ebrating the fact that it officially is now the world’s widest bridge. As I’m not a Surrey citizen I only get a chance to use Port Mann occasionally, like the other day on the way to the U.S. border. I admit I had to say wow as my car went through the new gigantic spans and reached the other side in less than a minute. And once the new Cape Horn ramps get commissioned then it’s dou­ble wow as getting into Trans-Canada from Lougheed would be a breeze.

But the euphoria of these wow’s gonna die down when reality sinks in, that eventually I have to pay every time I pass that bridge. That dreaded toll is finally coming, and that affects all of us, whether we live in Surrey or not. To make it worse they are already talking about tolling the other bridges that motorists will definitely try to use to save on tolls. Like most people I have that burning sensation inside when I think that a time will come when we have to pay even for the air we breath. Yes, we’re now pay­ing for the land we live in, the water, gas and electricity, and now the bridges. So what’s left? Air!