Bluenose II project manager cost triples to $1.3M

A taxpayer watchdog is calling on the province of Nova Scotiato fire the companyin charge of managing the Bluenose II restoration project, after the cost of the consultantballooned totriple what it was to receive in the originalcontract.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation said the project management contract was supposed to cost $375,000, but as of September theprovince hadgiven $1.3 million to MHPM Project Managers Inc.

Invoices obtained by theCanadian Taxpayers Federation under the Access to Information Actshows MHPM, a company headquartered in Ottawa, has been billing the province in the range of $25,000 a month.

"The job of the management consultant is to work with the government to ensure that the boat is delivered on time and on budget,"said Kevin Lacey, the Atlantic Canada director of thetaxpayers federation.

"Now we're two and a half years lateand it's millions over budget. And now even the people in charge of ensuring that that doesn't happen, their contract is also three times more."

The total cost of the Bluenose restorationhas also inflatedfrom $14.8 million to $16.5 million.

The project was supposed to take a year and a half. Instead, it's taking four years, with sea trials expected in December.