The federal finance minister swung by Moncton on Thursday, but instead of bringing the millions of dollars needed for the proposed downtown arena, his visit only highlighted the growing uncertainties around the project.
Last fall, the City of Moncton had a firm commitment from the then-PC provincial government to build a sports and entertainment complex at the Highfield Square site.
Now, the property sits vacant in downtown Moncton, and the federal and provincial governments have the given the municipality a firm commitment only to study the project.
Asked about the project while stopping in Moncton on Thursday, federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver was non-committal.
“It’s not my portfolio and therefore I can’t comment on it, but we’re going to look at every project that has merit and see how we can help out,” Oliver said.
He said there may be ways to fund the project directly or indirectly.
The proposed arena project is expected to cost more than $100 million, and government support is essential for its realization.
Robert Goguen, the Conservative MP for Moncton, said he remains confident Ottawa will come through with the millions of dollars requested.
“We’re going to come as close as possible the 23.5 asked,” Goguen said.
“Will I succeed? Well, I’m going to keep fighting.”
For now, only debris and scraps of steel sit at the Highfield Square site, a fact some say is hurting Moncton’s downtown.
“The very fact that Highfield Square has been closed for a couple of years has really changed things because there’s no activity going on on that part of Main Street,” said Anne Poirier-Basque of Downtown Moncton Centre-ville.
She says she believes government money will eventually be committed, but fears a window of opportunity could slip away.
“It would be very disheartening to see if nothing was done because we will never see a project like this happening in the next 15 years if it doesn’t go ahead,” said Poirier-Basque.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mike Cameron
