More provincial gear for highway work has PC saying caution ahead
A political debate is stirring in Pictou East over what a wheeled aggregate screener means for business.
The Department Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal is acquiring the screener, used to move, distribute and sort aggregate such as sand, gravel or asphalt.
In a press release, the Progressive Conservative candidate for Pictou East, Tim Houston, said he has information the screeners will be used to re-screen stockpiles of reclaimed asphalt pavement.
“If that is the case, why wouldn’t the department just issue a tender for private companies to carry out the screening?” he said.
Houston believes there are at least three or four companies in the Pictou County area that have idle screeners capable of doing the job.
Pictou East MLA Clarrie MacKinnon said Houston is mistaken.
“Mr. Houston should’ve got his facts straight before making statements like that,” MacKinnon said. “His release comes just short of fearmongering.”
He says that the wheeled aggregate screener has been earmarked for western Nova Scotia, not Pictou County, and will not be used in road paving.
“This aggregate screener poses no threat to paving businesses in Pictou County or anywhere else for that matter.”
According to MacKinnon the screener would be used for road maintenance such as providing grading for guardrails along the road, filling potholes and screening sand on icy roads.
“This equipment will not be used for the large scale, highway paving projects.”
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