MLAs happy with capital budget

A trip around the Miramichi should be a little smoother next year, thanks to spending announced in the capital budget.

The province released the capital budget last week with a record $660 million in spending on infrastructure projects. It's an increase of about $180 million over the previous year, and most of the projects announced for the Miramichi involve road repairs.

Southwest Miramichi MLA Rick Brewer said his riding will receive $6 million for work on Rout 108, with plans to resurface Route 8. The repairs will include a 4.7 kilometre stretch from Molasses Hill to Howard Road, he said. "That's one of the roughest parts."

Miramichi-Bay du Vin MLA Bill Fraser said Route 117 is in bad shape and $2. 05 million is dedicated to repairs on a 4.5 kilometre stretch this year.

"Hopefully that can continue in the following year," he said.

The priority for the Miramichi is economic development and work on Route 108 and Route 111 is coming because they are the main links to other markets, he said. "Those are important."

Also included in the capital budget was money for a new English language medical education program, with several hospitals around the province set to receive upgrades.

Fraser said the announcement the Miramichi Regional Hospital is getting money for upgrades is good news, and the hospital will play a key role for the new medical school. "That's good news for the region."

In Miramichi Centre MLA John Foran's riding, a 4.5 kilometre stretch of Route 425 will be repaired this year. Another $350,000 will go toward renovations at the community college.

Foran said improvements to one riding help other ridings in the Miramichi. "I'm concerned about the region, not just my riding," he added.

In Miramichi Bay-Neguac, MLA Carmel Robichaud will see her riding receive $1. 7 million in repairs to Route 455. Robichaud said the area faces a difficult economic situation and infrastructure helps create jobs.

"It's important that people work."

As a whole she was pleased with the budget and said she hopes the difficult time will turn around. "Everybody got a little bit."

But the budget didn't include everything the MLAs hoped for. Robichaud said there was no money set aside for social development or nursing homes in her riding and her constituents have been waiting a long time for a new school in Tabusintac. "I'd like this issue to move forward."

The government has to be careful how it spends money and there is no indication when the new school in Tabusintac will be built, she said. "It is very important for that community."

Foran said the Miramichi MLAs met before the announcement to discuss a tourism project that could be worth millions to the area, but it wasn't included the budget. "We're still working towards that."

Fraser said not everything the government plans was included in the capital budget and they are looking at priorities for the spring budget.

"We've got to push to get more funding for Route 108," he said. Foran said the MLAs were all happy to get what they did and added they are still working with the government for the future.

"We all have a wish list."