Public Works Minister and MLA for Queens Kim Masland calls the scope of the damage from the July 21 rainfall unprecedented.

In an interview with QCCR, Masland says the storm closed 114 roads across the province, 27 of those in the Western District. As a result, over 200 public works staff and 40 private contracting crews were mobilized to begin rebuilding that crucial infrastructure.

Masland said, “I will tell you I as the minister of public works I have never been more impressed and more proud of the people that work for this department and the contractors who worked so hard to do what they had to do.”

Masland says the crews are working long hours to get the province’s road system back in order as quickly as they can. She says the day after the storm she was out with the province’s chief engineer at 7:30 in the morning to survey the extent of the impact.

“When we came down through the [Highway] 103, I just could not believe what I was seeing. It was, I mean I've seen the damage of flooding in Cape Breton when we had that storm, hurricane, I've seen, I've seen a lot in this department,” said Masland. “Actually my Deputy tells me that as a minister I have seen more in this department in two years than they have experienced in 20.”

Masland says as new construction projects are undertaken in Nova Scotia, roads are being built stronger, culverts are bigger, and bridges are built higher to contend with the increasing severity of the storms.

While she can’t provide an exact timeline when all roads and structures will be repaired Masland says everyone in the department is working diligently. “We’re doing the best we can as quickly as we can.”

To hear the full interview with Minister Masland, click play below.