Transportation Minister Claude Williams said tolls will be coming off the Saint John Harbour Bridge. (CBC)

Transportation Minister Claude Williams is confident the New Brunswick government will not be stuck with debt from the Saint John Harbour Bridge Authority despite the growing possibility of a federal election.

The Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation on Wednesday that will take over the bridge authority on March 31, holding up its end the deal with the federal government to remove the tolls from the aging bridge.

Williams told reporters on Wednesday he's confident when the provincial government takes over the authority that Ottawa will keep its end of the bargain and forgive the bridge's $22-million debt.

"We have a commitment from the Prime Minister of Canada. So the process on the federal side is in place. The process is on," Williams said.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced in his budget on Tuesday the federal government will take over the bridge's debt.

The federal budget is in jeopardy as the national opposition parties are lining up to defeat Stephen Harper's minority government.

Williams said the bridge authority's debt will be handled by the federal Treasury Board but he admitted to reporters that he wasn't sure of all the details.

"I'm not exactly sure in terms of the exact process they use there in parliament," he told reporters.

Harper met with Premier David Alward last November to announce the tolls were being removed from the Saint John bridge.

Erasing uncertainty

While the politicians always remained steadfast the deal was moving forward, the bridge authority hasn't always been so confident.

Robert McDevitt, the authority's chief executive officer, said they didn't want to let go of their asset without being rid of the liability.

"That's the same as me buying your house but I'm not going to deal with the mortgage. Or you're not going to be able to pay off the mortgage because I'm not going to give you that money until three or four months down the road," McDevitt said.

Now McDevitt said the provincial legislation means the bridge's debt will no longer be his problem.

When the tolls come off after March 31, McDevitt said any problems with the debt will belong to the provincial government.