Provincial construction budget dips slightly in 2018

Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says his government will spend approximately $500 million on road maintenance and construction this coming year.

That number is slightly less than what the province spent last year, when the province budgeted $502 million but ultimately spent $518 million.

The government will also accept bids for work on the Lake St. Martin outlet channel, Schuler said.

That project is expected to cost $500 million over five years, with payment split between the provincial and federal governments.

Schuler talked about the province's plans at the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association's annual award meeting. He asked its membership to help his government to review how the department does its work.

"Everything is on the table" during a review of the department that the government hopes to complete by next summer, he told the construction industry.

Some areas the review may focus on are procurement practices, use of public-private partnerships in road construction and getting industry input on planning, he said.