Canadian Taxpayers Federation questions provincial skyrocketing paving costs
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Wakeham government to explain why the cost of paving projects in Newfoundland and Labrador nearly doubled over the past six years.
“Taxpayers are entitled to know why something as basic as paving a road is becoming so much more expensive,” said Devin Drover, CTF Atlantic Director. “Whether it’s poor contract management, or systemic overruns, the government needs to provide real answers and real data, not platitudes.”
The average cost of paving a kilometre of road in the province has increased from $330,000 in 2019 to over $610,000 in 2025, according to government documents.
“That response was unacceptable then and it’s unacceptable now,” Drover said. “It’s almost unbelievable that a government can’t tell taxpayers how often paving contracts exceed their budgets.”