The City of Charlottetown and the Province of Prince Edward Island have signed an agreement that will see the province invest in new snow-clearing equipment while committing to help the city with snow removal for a seven-year term.
“The experience we had as a province with record snow falls last year showed us the importance of investing in snow removal gear and of coordinating our approach to keeping our roads clear and safe for the traveling public,” said Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Minister Paula Biggar.
“This partnership allows both the province and the city to make effective use of our resources and to clear our major transport corridors as quickly and effectively as possible.”
The contract was developed after the City of Charlottetown approached the province to provide winter maintenance to 25 kilometres of its priority streets. The City and the Province have entered into a seven-year agreement at an annual rate of approximately $350,000.
“It’s great to see private contractors and government working together for the betterment of all residents,” said Councillor Terry Bernard, Chair of the City’s Public Works and Urban Beautification Committee. “Over the past few years, we have been working towards upgrading equipment and improving our services, investing more capital dollars in snow removal. With the changing winter snow patterns, it’s been a priority that we’re pleased to be working on in partnership with the Province of PEI.”
The Province will invest $3.5 million this year in snow removal equipment including tandem truck plows and loader mounted blowers. The new equipment is required to fulfill the terms of this contract and to replace blower units that have passed their life expectancy.