There’s been a delay in Nova Scotia’s plan to pave rural roads using its own $3.6-million mobile asphalt plant.

Transportation Minister Maurice Smith issued a statement Friday saying the plant, purchased from a Florida firm, was supposed to be in operation by June 30.

Smith now says there’s been a delay because the company, General Combustion Corp. of Orlando, has yet to deliver the plant.

However, the minister says the province’s plan to pave 90 kilometres of roads with the machine this season is still on track.

Smith says the work will be done in areas of the province where there has been a lack of competitive bidding by the private sector.

The work is supposed to start in Cape Breton’s Victoria County, but Smith did not provide a start date.