P.E.I. finance minister wants flexibility with infrastructure spending

P.E.I. Finance Minister Allen Roach says he hopes to discuss how new infrastructure money can be spent to boost the economy at a meeting in Ottawa Sunday. 

Roach and other provincial and territorial finance ministers will meet with new federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau. 

The Liberal government has promised $125 billion in infrastructure spending — projects that will ultimately involve the provinces in terms of financing, but also job creation and possibly legacy projects.

Roach says while infrastructure money for roads, bridges and hospitals is always needed he hopes there will be flexibility on where it can be spent in a new infrastructure program. 

"If we are going to invest dollars in something, it is going to go into areas where it's going to help to drive our economy, improve our exports, those sorts of things," said Roach. 

Roach says other issues expected to be discussed at the meeting include the Canada Pension Plan, jobs and the Canada Child Benefit.

The Island's finance minister says the meeting promises to usher in an era of renewed cooperation with the federal government.