THUNDER BAY -- The city should hear about funding for its proposed event centre later this month but the project may need to be scaled back.
Returning from the Ontario Good Roads Association conference in Toronto, where city officials met with a dozen provincial ministers, intergovernmental affairs committee chair Coun. Joe Virdiramo said the project remains the city's top priority.
"Funding is going to be an issue," he said Wednesday.
"Depending on what the funding is, then we may need to have to take a look at looking at the project and rescaling it in such a way that we can meet the needs of the funding that we have."
But it would seem that the funding concerns are part of the federal, not provincial, piece. Provincially, Coun. Brian McKinnon said the city left Toronto feeling optimistic.
"At the end of it we're feeling pretty good. I had a sense that some of the T's are crossed and some of the I's are dotted," McKinnon said.
City council will discuss the funding March 23.
"I would think this is going to be a very important meeting for all intents and purposes," McKinnon said.
The city also brought up poverty reduction, homelessness, more beds for the hosptial and detox centre, energy, mining and the $30 million comprehensive cardiovascular centre for Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre.
"I think it's something that will come to fruition in the next little while," Virdiramo said of the centre.
