Second Contract Awarded for New Jail in Pictou County

The province is investing $1.1 million to begin site preparation work for the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility.

Antigonish-based Nova Construction Company has been selected to complete this phase of the project.

"We're making good progress and are on track to open the doors in 2014," said Ross Landry, Minister of Justice. "This is good news for Pictou County. The state-of-the-art correctional facility will create 70 new corrections jobs and additional employment during the construction phase."

In September, Pine Breeze Logging Services cleared the trees and prepared the land for construction.

The work by Nova Construction Company includes civil installation of sewer, storm and water lines, as well as driveways, parking lots and moving earth around the building area. This phase of the project will be completed in March 2012.

The Town of New Glasgow and the Municipality of the County of Pictou will also be working over the coming months on the water, storm and sewer infrastructure to supply the site.

Architectural drawings will be completed in the next few weeks with the construction tender to follow in February. Seven general contracting companies were pre-qualified to bid on the tender. Construction is expected to begin in April and finish in late 2013 or early 2014.

The Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility is expected to cost about $34-million to complete.

For more information, visit http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/Corrections/NENS.asp .