Moncton issues funding deadline for $107M downtown centre

Moncton is issuing a deadline to the provincial and federal governments to commit tofunding for the $107-million proposed downtown sports and entertainment centre.

Jacques Dub, the city manager, saysthe two levels of government have until June 20 to find the cash for the downtown arena 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.

• New recreational infrastructure projects must meet new rules

Dubalso told council on Tuesday night thathe's negotiated a one-year extension with the two developers who want to build the downtown centre.

The city manager says hethinks 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.

Dub saysthe provincial government has set out 13 criteria which he thinks the city can meet.

He saysboth 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.

Dub 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 MonctonMayor George LeBlancand 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 Monctonthat the government is assessing whetherMoncton's application meetsthe criteria set out in the new policy.

"The simple fact of meeting the criteriadoesn'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 ameeting with the premier,Goguen and LeBlancis expected to happen.

"There certainly is a willingness to get together as quickly as possible to discuss this," hesaid.