The transportation and infrastructure minister clashed with the Liberals in the legislature Thursday over funding for rural roads.
Carleton-Victoria Liberal MLA Andrew Harvey slammed Bill Oliver for not putting more money into the budget for highways, particularly rural roads.
“He speaks about a rural road policy, well that’s a big joke, Mr. Speaker. How will he correct this measure, Mr. Speaker, other than just paving roads in his own member’s ridings?” asked Harvey.
Minister Oliver was quick with his response to Harvey’s tone.
“I take exception to the fact of being called a big joke. The big joke here is the MLA opposite that is trying to put scare tactics into the people of New Brunswick,” said Oliver.
“He knows full well that the budget of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is the same as is was last year. We have just traded some funds from just one pot to another.”
Capital estimates released Wednesday by the department show $325.2 million will be set aside for 2020-21.
The department will allocate $137.6 million to its highway program, $44.4 million to its bridge program, $87.3 million for the federal-provincial program, $30.9 million for public works and infrastructure, $15 million for the Vehicle Management Agency and $10 million for the Municipal Designated Highway program.
