DTI depots

The province has reversed its decision to suspend the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure winter salt service.

In an email statement to Acadia Broadcasting on Wednesday, Government of New Brunswick communications director Bruce McFarlane said that at DTI “safety is the top priority,” and garages that traditionally offered free sand will continue to do so this winter and going forward.

The decision comes after several Progressive Conservative MLAs and municipal leaders raised concerns after hearing the province was suspending the service in all DTI garages.

The opposition, along with mayors of local municipalities like Grand Bay Westfield Mayor Brittany Merrifield and Fundy Shores Mayor Denny Cogswell, sent letters to Premier Susan Holt and DTI Minister Chuck Chiasson urging a reversal of the decision, arguing that low-income residents, seniors on fixed income, and rural New Brunswickers would be affected.

RELATED: Opposition, municipal leaders call on province to reverse DTI sand decision

In the statement, McFarlane said free sand was never a formal provincial program, but rather a practice that developed over time at some DTI depots. The practice has helped residents avoid falling on icy sidewalks and walkways for years.

He said some depots ended the practice about five years ago, while others stopped even earlier.

However, McFarlane did not explain why the province suspended the practice initially.

In a follow-up email, Acadia Broadcasting asked DTI which depots continue to offer sand to residents, which have suspended the service, and the reasons behind those decisions. The department did not provide a response.

McFarlane noted that many DTI depots operate as active worksites, with heavy equipment, trucks, and other machinery regularly in use. He said any public access must be managed carefully to ensure work can continue safely and efficiently.