N.S. strikes highway deal with Ottawa
HALIFAX, N.S. — Nova Scotia and the federal government have struck an agreement that may allow for the twinning of the ‘Death Highway’, a notorious stretch of two-lane blamed for dozens of fatalities.
Premier John Hamm told reporters on his way into a Conservative caucus meeting yesterday that he “had a highway-funding deal with Ottawa.”
The agreement was reached during a telephone conversation with federal Industry Minister Allan Rock on Tuesday.
“I would hope that we would either have the prime minister or minister Rock himself come to town and participate in an announcement,” says Hamm. “We’d like to give them something to announce.”
Hamm says a formal announcement will be made soon, but didn’t say when.
Last fall, the premier made a personal appeal to Prime Minister Jean Chrtien for as much as $300 million in highway funding.
The political pressure on the Conservative government increased last summer when neighboring New Brunswick signed a $400-million deal to improve highways in the western portion of that province.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.