By Canadian Press

Rebuilding after Fiona slowed by familiar challenges

Oct 5, 2022 | 8:40 AM

HALIFAX – The desire to quickly rebuild after post-tropical storm Fiona is running up against challenges that existed before the hurricane-force winds left a trail of destruction in Nova Scotia: the rising cost of construction material and widespread skilled labour shortages.

It’s too early to put a price on the damage caused by Fiona, but Public Works Minister Kim Masland says the rebuilding effort will be competing for labour with ongoing construction projects; driving up prices and extending timelines.

“No question, there is going to be cost pressures going forward,” Masland said after a recent cabinet meeting. “But we are going to need to work through those and make sure that we’re delivering safe and reliable roads to Nova Scotians.”

The minister said that prior to the storm, the province had cancelled six existing bridge and road projects this year due to higher-than-expected costs. Some cost estimates, she said, are coming in extremely high, which she attributed to the rising price of steel, diesel, asphalt and labour.

Duncan Williams, president of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia, says the demand for skilled tradespeople is also extremely high. He estimates that about 2,000 to 3,000 additional workers were needed for ongoing projects well before the storm hit.

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