MP Robert Goguen says Ottawa is willing to help fund new Moncton centre

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Robert Goguen says the federal government is ready to help Moncton pay for the proposed $107-million downtown centre, but the process is being held up by Brian Gallant's new Liberal government.

​Goguen said the federal government won't pay for the hockey rink component of the project, but it will pay for six road, water and sewer projects in the city under the Canada Builds Fund.

The Conservative MP says that will free up millions of dollars that Moncton would no longer have to put towards those infrastructure projects and can instead put towards the downtown sports and entertainment centre. 

He adds the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is also considering paying for the sound system in the proposed building as well as some bleachers and parts of the outdoor plaza that would lead to the centre.

He said that could add up to a total federal contribution of $23.5 million to Moncton.

The province has to sign in on this, so if they don't put their share in we don't put our share in.- MP Robert Goguen

Goguen said the only thing standing in the way of the federal funding is for the provincial government to agree to pay it's share of the six infrastructure projects.

"So yes, they have been identified, they have been submitted, we studied them and we're to the point where we're waiting for the sign off from the province," the Tory MP said.

The city is looking for $46 million in funding split between the federal and provincial governments.

Goguen said the federal government will only put up it's share if the provincial government does as well.

"The province has to sign in on this, so if they don't put their share in we don't put our share in," he said.

The former Progressive Conservative premier David Alward agreed to fund the project a day before the provincial election in August.

His party lost to the Liberals in the Sept. 22 election and Gallant told the CBC last week that Alward's move was clearly a politically-motivated decision that hadn't been properly assessed.

Gallant added, "We're not simply going to continue a project because expectations were given by the previous government for the wrong reasons."  

The premier says the project has to contribute value for money.

Goguen said independent reports have shown that the federal government would recoup $11 million and the province $6 million in sales tax from the construction of the downtown centre, with more revenue to come from the increased economic activity the centre would create.

He said both levels of government would be losing money by not supporting the project.