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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Highway Winter Maintenance Program: Cuts Or No Cuts?

Things heating up in the Legislature with talk about highway safety during the winter. MLA of Miramichi-Bay du Vin Bill Fraser asking how the province plans to keep people safe with cuts to the highway winter maintenance program. 

 CUPE also accusing the government of cutting 9 million dollars from the winter management program. The President of local 1190 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees is warning there will be 55 fewer pieces of equipment to get rid of the snow with 70 fewer operators.

Transportation Minister Claude Williams firing back saying the facts are wrong. He says
the appropriate equipment will be bought as needed.  

"We don't want to reduce the level of service that we provide on road and highways during the winter." When it comes to salt and sand he says, "We purchased the same level, the same quantity, the same amount as last year."