St. John's about $1M over budget on road salt

The city of St. John's is over budget by $1 million for salt use this winter, and the mayor blames the freeze and thaw conditions for the extra expenditure. 

There has been less snow this year compared to last, but Mayor Dennis O'Keefe says they've spent a lot more on salt than expected.

O'Keefe said the city has been hearing from people who are questioning why so much is being spent if the city hasn't even received much snow.

He insists it's the unique freeze and thaw conditions that is resulting in increased salt use.

"We are in fact over in salt by nearly a million dollars, and as a result of that, although we haven't had piles and piles of snow, we have a negative variance to this point in time."

Snowclearing operations in total are over by about $700,000 for this season. The city has been spending way more on salt use than was budgeted, but less on actual snowclearing on account of there being less snow in the city compared to last year.