Moncton issues funding deadline for $107M downtown centre
Jacques Dubé says the city is receiving 'very encouraging' signals from the provincial government
Moncton is issuing a deadline to the provincial and federal governments to commit to funding for the $107-million proposed downtown sports and entertainment centre.
The provincial government issued a set of guidelines on Tuesday that must be in place before recreational infrastructure projects will be funded.
Dubé also told council on Tuesday night that he's negotiated a one-year extension with the two developers who want to build the downtown centre.
The city manager says he thinks the provincial government may be willing to put some money into the deal.
"The province has sent a very encouraging signal in the last few days," he said on Tuesday.
He says both the provincial and the federal governments are close to agreeing to help Moncton pay for road and storm sewer projects.
Those are infrastructure projects that Moncton was planning to pay for itself, according to the city manager.
"Based on recent discussions with the province and the federal governments, we are days, not weeks from hearing about funding related to councils replacement funding strategy projects.
Dubé said if those deals come through that would free up money the city could then use for the downtown centre.
Premier has requested meeting
On Tuesday a spokesperson for Premier Brian Gallant confirmed he had sent a letter to Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc and Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Robert Goguen, requesting a meeting to discuss the downtown centre.
Victor Boudreau, the minister responsible for the regional development corporation, said in an interview on Wednesday on Information Morning Moncton that the government is assessing whether Moncton's application meets the criteria set out in the new policy.
"The simple fact of meeting the criteria doesn't automatically mean that the government would contribute," Boudreau said. "Obviously any contribution from the province, it's dependent on the existing budgets and the existing funds."
He couldn't say when a meeting with the premier, Goguen and LeBlanc is expected to happen.
"There certainly is a willingness to get together as quickly as possible to discuss this," he said.