Rural residents question province snowplow cuts

Some rural residents say they're baffled by the government's plans to cut back on snowplowing on certain roads.

On Thursday, Transportation Minister Claude Williams announced the number of staff in the snowplow program will be reduced by 28, mostly through attrition.

Lewis Douglas and his wife Florence have lived on the Zionville Road, near Taymouth, New Brunswick for many years.

It's always been cleared by the Department of Transportation, but that could change next year.

Their road is one of 216 that don't meet provincial standards for snow clearing, according to the government.

Depending on the weather, the provincial government spends between $55 million and $75 million a year on winter road maintenance. Williams's goal is to reduce spending by $4 million a year, as part of the province's effort to reduce the deficit.

With more cuts next winter, the department hopes to save $2.2 million over two years, he said Thursday.

Lewis said he doesn't understand.

"They got to plow wherever people are living, where their homes are. They've got to be plowed out. There's no way of getting out of that," he told CBC News.

"We will be informing them and listing on our website all the road sites that will be affected," Williams said.

Catherine McKinney, who lives not far from Zionville Road, said she's frustrated that so many changes are affecting rural residents.

"I think living out in the country is certainly different," McKinney said. "A lot of decisions are also made based on what is best for the residents in the city and not necessarily including those out on the outskirts," McKinney said.

McKinney says the government should have consulted them, especially on changes that will affect their daily lives.