Above watch: The Liberal government have added $8-million to the snow budget. Laura Brown reports.
FREDERICTON – Brian Gallant’s Liberal government has budgeted more to combat what the upcoming winter might hold than any other New Brunswick government before them.
Transportation Minister Roger Melanson revealed during budget estimates that the 2015-16 winter maintenance budget will be $69 million.
It’s $2 million more than was spent on this past winter, which cost the province $67 million. But Melanson says it’s about having the money there just in case.
“Mother Nature doesn’t call us to say, we’re going to have a storm in a couple of days and the magnitude of it, so we have to have the appropriate level of funding,” he said.
While Melanson was presenting the estimates on Tuesday, snow was falling in his riding of Dieppe. He said it goes to show winters are becoming more and more unpredictable.
“We have to have more appropriate equipment and that means more appropriate funding to respond to the winter conditions we’ve been having over the last four to five years.”
The department is adding 33 new snowplows to the province’s fleet.
Transportation critic Jeff Carr says he’d just like to make sure the money is spread evenly throughout the province.
“The staff have to be supported,” he said. “If they’re going to be out there risking their lives, they need to be supported with more staff for back up and better equipment.”
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