Irate CBRM councillors slam province for lack of money to fix roads - Action News
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Nova Scotia

Irate CBRM councillors slam province for lack of money to fix roads

The $34-million budget for Cape Breton Regional Municipality contains just over $4 million for roadwork. That's only enough to fix 37 of the 200 roads on the list for repairs.

'We should be out in front of this building with picket signs,' fumes District 6 councillor

District 6 Coun. Ray Paruch says he's disgusted with the lack of funding for road repairs in Cape Breton Regional Municipality. (CBC)

Councillors in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are calling road spending in this year's capital budget an "embarrassment."

The $34-million budget was adopted Tuesday after several hours of heated debate. It sets aside just over $4 million for roadwork.

That's enough to fix just 37 of the 200 roads on the list for repairs.

"With these budget talks, we should be out in front of this buildingwith picket signs," fumed District 6 Coun.Ray Paruch."I represent the Ashby area and it's four-wheel drive country. That's what you need to move around the community."

Councillors blame the province for failing to provide any funding this year for a roadworkprogram. But as several said, they will be the onesto face the backlash from angry taxpayers.

"The people need to start reaching out to the phone numbers of their MLAsand demanding from them, why do you not have a roads programto assist our municipality to get the work that we need done?" said Deputy Mayor EldonMacDonald."And let them give them the answerbecause I'm tired of giving it to them."

This year's capital budget for Cape Breton Regional Municipality only contains about $4 million for roadwork, far below the amount needed to fix 200 roads listed for repairs. (CBC)

There are a couple of big-ticket items in this year'scapital budget.

They include $10.5 million to build a second marine berth for cruise ships in Sydney.

There's also $4.5 million for major renovations at the Glace Bay Arena, formerly known as the Bayplex. It closed abruptly last year because of safety concerns. Refurbishing the building will cost $9 million in total.

District 8 Coun.Amanda McDougall wondered whether that work could be scaled backto free up more money for other spending.

"Is there a way for us to revisit the study that was presented to us today, and ask for various options?" askedMcDougall.

"You know, bring it back to a standard that is clean of mouldand get it operational again, and then do a phased-in approach of growing it over the years.I don't want to see this taken off the table, but if we can't afford it, we have to be creative in a way to find a solution."

But recreation officials say the work does not lend itself to a phased-in approach.

A suggestion to phase in work needed to restore the Glace Bay Arena was turned down at Tuesday's council meeting. (Hal Higgins/CBC)

In the end, councillors voted narrowly to adopt the budget with the work for the Bayplex included, choosing instead to vent their anger at the province in the long-standing dispute over equalization.

Officials with the CBRM say the province is shortchanging the municipality by millions of dollars each yearby failing to fairly distribute equalization money from Ottawa.

"We wouldn't need to be making these decisionsif we were receiving the money we're supposed to be receiving," said District 11 Coun.Kendra Coombes.

"I will be more than happy to bring a bullhorn and have some chants going for everybody, if anyone's willing to do any protesting."