Long-delayed rehabilitation works on All Saints Road could begin by late March or early April, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said, citing progress in negotiations with a Canadian contractor.

Speaking during an ABS interview, Browne acknowledged that discussions with the Canadian firm have been “protracted,” explaining that Public Works has been seeking the best possible value before finalizing the agreement.

“The money’s in place already,” he said, referring to a $100 million bond secured to finance road improvements. “All the documentation completed, just ready for drawdown, but the negotiations were protracted.”

Browne disclosed that at one point the government instructed Public Works to begin parallel discussions with C.O. Williams and Chinese firm CCCC amid concerns about delays in signing off on the deal.

However, he indicated that talks with the Canadian company have resumed momentum and expressed hope that negotiations would conclude early next month. Once finalized, the contractor would require a few weeks to mobilize equipment and personnel from Canada.

“If things move as expected, perhaps by about the latest late March, early April, we should be able to commence work,” Browne said.

The project will cover approximately 11 to 12 miles of roadway, starting at the Public Market in St. John’s and extending to English Harbour.

All Saints Road is one of the island’s major thoroughfares, and its rehabilitation has been widely anticipated amid broader infrastructure upgrades across the country.