New list breaks down flood damage projects, cost unknown
Posted Aug 3, 2013 6:53 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Even though Albertans don’t know how much the flooding will cost the province, they seem to be getting a better idea of just how much work has to be done.
A new report lists over 200 items that were damaged in June, including everything from roads and highways, to schools and hospitals.
The price tag however, remains a mystery.
Many of the items on this new list include 55 roads and highways, along with 40 wastewater and waterworks systems and 36 schools.
The list finalized and released Friday doesn’t stop there, it also cites eight hospitals and health facilities and 10 seniors’ housing buildings.
In response, the premier’s press secretary Neala Barton said there still isn’t an estimate on what this will all cost, because companies still have to bid on contracts for the work and the price will be released once that is done.
Earlier this week, Finance Minister Doug Horner said in an interview that although he also wouldn’t give an exact breakdown, the bill for flood-related damage will be over $3 billion.
But Barton said when it comes to the released list, they can’t put on a projection.
“This is really just an inventory that we have to do, certainly it would feed into that overall dollar figure,” she said. “But we’re not releasing individual dollar figures for each specific project because we want to make sure we’re getting the highest quality work at the lowest cost.”
But that’s not sitting well with Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith who said there’s no reason that an approximate cost can’t be released.
