This spring, the Yukon government is smoothing potholes with the help of federal stimulus cash.
Ottawa’s giving the territory $300,000 to upgrade Annie Lake Road, Fish Lake Road and Jackson Lake Road, and the Yukon government is matching the donation.
The $600,000 will be spent brushing, weeding, ditching and surfacing where required, said Highways assistant deputy minister Allen Nixon.
Highways has all the heavy machinery and equipment needed for the jobs, but it won’t be using it.
Instead, the department plans to contract the work out to smaller local businesses.
“We’re going to hire local contractors because they’re available and can do the work for us,” said Nixon.
That’s what the federal stimulus money is all about, he added.
Only 14 kilometres of Annie Lake road will be getting an upgrade, worth roughly $375,000.
The remaining $275,000 will be used to upgrade all of Fish Lake Road and Jackson Lake Road.