Nova Scotia Election: Tracking party promises on infrastructure

EDITOR’S NOTE: Throughout the 2017 election Global News is tracking the promises each party makes on education, health care, infrastructure, transparency, budgets, diversity, and more. The stories will be updated as parties roll out their promises.

The proposed infrastructure projects  of each political party has become an important topic during the election campaign. With a variety of announced projects from each party, Global News will monitor what promises have been made and if they are kept after the election.

READ MORE: All of our election coverage

The Grits’ focus on infrastructure focuses on schools. They’ve also double their promise to improve the province’s gravel roads, bringing the total to $60 million a year. They also reiterated their commitment to the Victoria General hospital redevelopment.

The Tories have proposed a $2 billion Rebuild Nova Scotia infrastructure plan that they would have half the money coming from Ottawa. The funding would go towards various projects including highways and community infrastructure.

The NDP have yet to announce their overall infrastructure plans.

Roads and highways

Liberal

• Will spend $10 million on gravel roads this year, then spend $20 million for each of the following three years.
• Committed an additional $390 million in capital funding, spent over seven years, to twin three sections of the 100-series highways and build the Burnside Connector — a four-lane divided highway between Burnside and Bedford
• Will remove tolls on the Cobequid Pass once bonds are paid, expected in 2019.

Progressive Conservative

• Twin three sections of 100-series highways as well as build the Burnside Connector, spending $729 million over seven years
• Committed an additional $30 million to improve safety features on sections of highways not being twinned
• Add $16 million to the Rural Impact Mitigation budget to improve rural roads

NDP

• Have not said yet what they will invest towards roads or highways

Community infrastructure

Liberals

• Have committed $50 million to new schools and improving main streets in communities

Progressive Conservative

• Will spend $150 million over 10 years to bring high speed Internet to rural areas. They’ve said the cost would be shared with Ottawa and the municipalities. The provincial contribution would be $7.5 million

NDP

• Have not said how money will be spent on communities

Health infrastructure

Liberal

• Will roll out $15 million over three years to build and renovate collaborative care clinics
• Will invest $14.7 million to create and maintain small option homes, allowing 32 people to live in community-based settings
• Have not released the complete cost of the Victoria General hospital redevelopment, but are exploring possibilities including public-private partnership funding

Progressive Conservative

• As part of $2 billion proposed fund, the PCs would have a new Victoria General hospital
• Would review the proposed Bayers Lake  outpatient centre

NDP

• Part of $120 million over four years will include building primary care clinics 
• The party has said it would “move forward on the VG by the normal procurement process.” Have ruled out P3 process.