The Confederation Bridge is often called one of the boldest building feats of its generation, and it remains the longest bridge in the world built to cross water that stays covered with ice all winter. Curving about 12.9 kilometres across the rough Northumberland Strait, it links Prince Edward Island to the mainland at New Brunswick. The structure rests on 62 huge concrete piers, and its main span rises high enough to let large ocean ships pass underneath. The gentle S-curve was added on purpose, so that drivers stay alert throughout the unusually long crossing.

The idea for the bridge grew out of a long-standing promise. When Prince Edward Island joined Confederation in 1873, the federal government guaranteed a steady link to the mainland, a duty met for generations by a year-round ferry service. By the late twentieth century, however, many islanders felt the ferries were too slow and too easily stopped by winter ice, and a 1988 vote showed a clear majority in favour of a permanent crossing. Supporters argued that a solid link would move goods faster and attract new business to the island. Even so, the work would be difficult, because the strait freezes solid each winter and its tides run persistently strong.