Not only does the Confederation Bridge make crossing back and forth from the mainland to P.E.I. easier, it is also the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.

The ongoing debate around establishing year-round access from Prince Edward Island to Canada's mainland was settled in 1988 with Islanders voting in favour of a 12.9-kilometre bridge spanning the Northumberland Strait. However, construction of the Confederation Bridge posed a problem. No precedent existed for ice loads that the bridge piers would encounter as they weathered the strait's winter–spring conditions.  After much research, the project broke ground in 1993 and employed more than 5 000 Canadians. In 1997, the bridge opened to vehicular traffic thus providing Canadians and tourists alike with a safe, efficient link.