WATCH: The process of awarding New Brunswick Government contracts in under scrutiny after a Quebec firm was awarded a contract to build snow plows over a local company. Laura Brown reports.
FREDERICTON – Roger Melanson says he cannot anticipate what could happen by cancelling a snowplow-manufacturing contract with a Quebec company.
In May, the province awarded a contract to manufacture 27 plows and 30 plow wings to Les Produits Métalliques, a manufacturing company in Matane, Quebec.
The winning bid was $246,000.
Craig Manufacturing of Hartland, N.B., bid $247,608 – a difference of $1,608.
“I know it happens a lot,” said Tom McGinn, Executive Director of the N.B. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association.
“This government campaigned on putting New Brunswickers first, New Brunswick companies first and job creation.
“I think they’re failing right now at all of those components of their platform.”
After it was leaked to the public that the bid was so close, it sparked upset from New Brunswick companies and workers.
“It’s disgusting,” said Joey Cleven, a Fredericton apartment owner. Cleven said he always tries to hire local people to build his apartments.
“Not only are they a quality manufacturer in New Brunswick, their employees are a who’s who of volunteers in the area,” said Stewart Fairgrieve, the Conservative candidate in the Carleton riding, who’s also a resident of Hartland.
“These are your minor hockey coaches, these are your volunteer firemen.”
The uproar caused the N.B. government to announce they are cancelling the contract with the Quebec company.
Transportation and Finance Minister Roger Melanson said the province’s jobs board will be reviewing what happened in this case.
“We want to see a process in place where we can see New Brunswick companies as much as possible, benefit from government contracts,” he said.
“I cannot anticipate what could happen from this decision.”
Melanson said the board will be working on this as soon as possible and come back with the review.
More projects being awarded outside the province, says McGinn
McGinn said there’s other projects that are being awarded outside the province.
“Another project through NB Power was just closed, I think last week. Same thing. It was a company from Quebec that won the tender and the difference between the first place and second place bidder and the second place bidder is a New Brunswick company, was not that significant,” he said.
According to the New Brunswick Opportunities Network, it is an extension project at the Belledune Generating Station.
NB Power is looking into that contract, but could not confirm on Monday if that $5 million contract had been awarded outside the province.
The lowest bid appears to be just over $4.8 million with Sani-Sable L.B. Inc.
The next bid is $5.06 million with LCL Excavations, a company in Charlo, N.B.
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