Recruitment to support the expansion of 24/7 snow clearing in the province is well underway, but things appear to have hit a snag in the eastern portion of the province – where only one candidate was picked among 14 for hiring.

Government says of the 180 applications received, 90 people met the minimum qualification and 44 have moved past the screening process. Fifty new positions are available in total.

Interviews, road tests, and driver abstract reviews are currently underway, and government expects to start the orientation process soon.

Shift implementation will depend on final staffing numbers, says government and while some areas may reach full coverage, others may not due to recruitment challenges.

That’s the case in eastern Newfoundland where government currently has just one eligible candidate.

The promise to expand snow clearing beyond the current call-in system was a cornerstone commitment of the PCs during the election campaign. $3-million has been set aside for the initiative.