Paradise sees costs for some supplies double

By Mark Squibb / June 29, 2023

The Town of Paradise had recently invited tenders for a year’s worth of lime, seed, fertilizer, calcium chloride, and other turf maintenance materials for use on parks and sports fields. Two companies submitted bids, and Public Works committee chairperson councillor Patrick Martin moved that council award the contract to the lowest-bidder East-Can, which offered to supply the material at a cost of $9,602, plus HST.

“Each year, the Town budgets for turf maintenance materials to ensure our parks and fields have a quality, safe playing surface safe for all ages,” said Martin. “Just for staff and for the public, in 2022, the price was about $21 a bag, and in 2023, the price if $45 a bag, so that amounts to about a $2,000 increase,” said Martin. “Blame it on COVID, because I think that’s still driving up the prices of things… It’s still having a major impact on our supply chains.”