Build Canada Fund could build convention centre
Posted Jan 20, 2011 05:27:17 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
All roads may lead to Halifax’s proposed convention centre if the province’s transport minister has his way.
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Bill Estabrooks has written to federal infrastructure minister Chuck Strahl asking him to allow money from the Build Canada Fund to be Ottawa’s contribution to the project.
While Halifax Regional Municipality and the province have already committed to the $159 million centre, they are still waiting for the federal government to agree to $47 million in support.
Estebrooks says he thinks there’s enough money in the fund, which was used to twin Highway 104, and he says the money is not earmarked for any specific project.
“That’s money that Nova Scotia has been assigned in the past and it’s money that we’re suggesting would be an opportune way to deal with this issue. We would decide between the province and the federal government that we would see projects worthy of that joint contribution,” Estabrooks told CTV News.
Federal Defence Minister Peter MacKay attended an economic roundtable consultation in Halifax Wednesday during which he would not commit to the project. However, Metro Newspaper reports he promised a decision would be made in time.
The deadline for the deal lapsed on January 15 but the developer has agreed to hold the price estimate for another 90 days.
