Chip Seal, Asphalt Plants Bringing Value to Nova Scotians, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece from Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Maurice Smith.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is misleading Nova Scotians about the value of the province's mobile chip seal and asphalt plant.

We introduced a mobile asphalt plant and an in-house chip seal operation to generate competition and bring asphalt prices down. We are seeing results; competition has increased in the past two years and prices have dropped. The CTF wants to scrap these projects and disband two initiatives that are helping pave more roads and bringing value to Nova Scotians.

Between 2007-10, the average price for asphalt was $59 per tonne. After introducing the chip seal operation, ashpalt plant and other initiatives, the price paid by taxpayers in 2011-12 dropped to $45 per tonne, saving Nova Scotians $21 million.

These savings helped the province repave about 75 more kilometres of roads that year, on the 5 Year Plan, earlier than originally planned. We anticipate additional paving projects this year as a result of these initiatives.

Bids per contract have also increased, showing there is increased competition. In 2009, there were 230 bids on 90 contracts from the private sector. In 2012, there were 299 bids on 80 contracts. The increased competition generates savings.

The federation has never supported the decision by the province to invest in our own equipment and crew to save millions of dollars and pave more roads throughout Nova Scotia. Like the federation, the province wants the best value for Nova Scotians. And these initiatives are helping to pave more roads and bring down road paving prices.

We paved more roads and it has cost Nova Scotians less money. As we indicated, there will be an audit of these initiatives after they have been operation for several years.