All-Weather Roads Get Mention In Throne Speech

All-Weather Roads Get Mention In Throne Speech

Tuesday, November 08, 2005 at 14:09

A cabinet minister from the North is pleased her colleagues in government included a commitment for a long-awaited all-weather road in the Far North in yesterday’s throne speech.

Cumberland MLA Joan Beatty says Premier Lorne Calvert has identified that project as a priority in recent months.

Beatty says by including the road project in the throne speech, the NDP government is showing it’s serious about making it happen.

Newly-appointed Highways Minister Eldon Lautermilch has been given the task of drafting a northern roads strategy over the next few months.

The Athabasca all-weather road proposal has remained in limbo for years because of haggling between Ottawa and the province as to how much each level of government should pay for its cost.

Preliminary estimates indicate it will take $50 million to build.