St. John’s, NL (November 15, 2018) – In Question Period on Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady admitted for the first time that Nalcor has cancelled their contract with Astaldi. Nalcor ordered the company off their site on October 20th. Opposition MHA Keith Hutchings asked questions in the House of Assembly today on the contract, but the Minister did not know the full impacts of Nalcor’s decision to cancel the Astaldi contract for Muskrat Falls. Part of the contracted work is unfinished, workers are still left unpaid, and questions about how penalties will be imposed remain. 

Hutchings asked several questions to get an update on the project:

• What measures have been triggered with the contract cancellation to protect any bonds and securities?
• Will the contract cancellation impact non-union employees who haven’t received payment for pensions and health benefits, and non-unionized employees who still have not been paid salary benefits?
• What is the cost of the work Astaldi has not completed?
• Has another contractor been hired to complete work?
• When was Nalcor or the Liberal government planning to update the public?

“The departure of Astaldi three years into this government’s watch and lack of information is troubling, not only for the workers who are wondering when they will be paid, but also for the people of the province who are wondering what this latest event will mean related to project completion and deadlines. People want answers, and the government doesn’t seem to have any to give.” said Hutchings

Contacts:

Bradley Russell
Director of Policy and Research
(p) 1.709.729.3668
(c) 1.709.685.3161
BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

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