Kenora to get new highway maintenance contractor next year

A new contractor is expected to plow and maintain the highwaysaroundKenoranext winter, afterthe Ontario transportation ministryannounced the end of its current contract with Transfield Services.

In a statement, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said the ministry and Transfield Services "have mutually agreed to end the current Kenora-area maintenance contract effective Aug. 31."

"This mutual decision is based on what is best for the province, the travelling public and for Transfield Services," reads the statement, without further specifics.

Maintenance contractors across the province's northwest regionhave come under firefor the state of the highways after snowstorms.

In an interview on CBC Radio's Superior Morning, Del Duca said the ministry has constant conversations throughout the year with all of its area maintenance contractors. He said Transfieldis responsible for two other contracts one in the North Bay area and one in Sault Ste. Marie.

Del Duca said these conversations with contractors are "to make sure they're doing their job, make sure they understand what their requirements are and what our expectations are."

With regards to Transfield, he said "they didn't want to proceed, they didn't feel comfortable with proceeding."

Del Duca said both parties "tried to make it work" but in the end, "in terms of making sure that we the Ministry of Transportation got it right for the people who live in the Kenora area, that we needed to proceed in a different direction."

NDP MPP wants committee to examine highway maintenance

NDP MPP Sarah Campbell, who represents the riding of Kenora-Rainy, said the announcement was a little surprising, considering a relatively good winter west of Thunder Bay. She also said she doesn't expect much will change on the roads next year.

"I'm not overly confident that by changing the contractor that we're going to see completely different level of maintenance, and certainly we've seen that inconsistency across the Northwest this winter," she said.

In a statement, Campbell said she still believes "there is value" in a multi-party select committee of MPPs to examine problems associated with "the delivery of this essential service."

"Without taking a step back and listening to the public, industry experts, the ministry and area contractors, we won't fully know all of the reforms that will need to be made to ensure consistently high quality service each year," she said.

Ontario said it will start looking for a new contractor in April.

A spokesperson forTransfieldsaid he can't comment on the issue, as the company is still under contract with the ministry.