The mayor of Perth-Andover, N.B., says she’s hopeful and confident the province will offer financial assistance to make the village less susceptible to flooding.

The community has seen four major floods in the past forty years. It’s resulted in a cloud of anxiety to hang over the community.

“We're all stressed out this time of year. Every year, watching the river very closely,” said Perth-Andover resident Jennifer Eagen.

But help may soon be on the way. A village office proposal to move Perth-Andover's downtown and main thoroughfares to higher land is getting a provincial government response.

Liberal MLA Andy Harvey says government is committed to doing the work, but did not offer any firm deadline of when that work would begin, when it would finish, and what exactly would be done.

“Well no final decision, no, because there is a lot work to take that and start to block it off in phases,” said Harvey.

An engineering report said it would cost about $70 million to carry out the plan, with that total including construction of a new bridge.

Harvey says the province is discussing a funding agreement with the federal government.

Perth-Andover Mayor Marianne Bell says there's tepid optimism that action will be taken.

“They have committed to finding the money soon,” said Bell. “I know the businesses have been in limbo for five years and they may feel like they've heard this promise before.”

It was five years ago when an ice jam caused the river to overflow into Perth-Andover and Tobique First Nation, causing more than $25 million in damage.

Local resident Jennifer Eagan operates a special care home in the village and had a permanent berm built around the building following the 2012 flood.

She too was hoping for more information from the government.

“At this point five years later, I'm just happy anything is being done,” said Eagen.

Harvey says the earliest work could begin is next year.

“Work here should begin, and based on the plan, it could begin with the road infrastructure being raised,” he said.

It’s a commitment people in the village will be watching closely, just like the river.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.