SYDNEY, NS - Inverness MLA Rodney MacDonald was on hand today at the announcement of the awarding of a $52 million dollar contract for work at the Tar Ponds cleanup site. It is the largest contract awarded for the project to date.
 
The work to stabilize and solidify the north and south ponds will be carried out by Inverness-based firm J & T vanZutphen Construction. MacDonald says the contract is "very good news for the company and its workers".
 
"As the cleanup project moves forward from the planning and engineering phases to the more labour-intensive phases, it is important to see the work go to Cape Breton based contractors," said MacDonald. "The announcement today indicates that the plan is coming together and I hope that as the hands-on work begins in earnest, Cape Breton workers will be filling those jobs."
 
More work for the Tar Ponds cleanup lies ahead as most of the $400 million in total funding has yet to be expended. Today's contract will provide 40 new jobs. The cleanup project has created over 400 new jobs.