THUNDER BAY – Canada’s FedNor Minister insists he has “no regrets” about how the federal government has handled the city’s application for event centre funding.
When asked by local media if there should have been clearer communication that an integrated event and convention centre would not have been eligible for gas tax funds, Conservative cabinet minister Greg Rickford said the senior level of government did its job.
“We have no regrets. The rules were clear,” Rickford said on Tuesday. “The federal government obviously worked as much as we could to that bright line with the city on this project. There is no ‘in hindsight.’”
City officials announced last week a letter had been received from Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel outlining the $114 million project would not be eligible for federal gas tax funds, the second attempt to secure money from Ottawa.
The city had previously sought to access federal contributions through the Build Canada Fund, which was set up for major infrastructure programs. That application was denied as the project was deemed ineligible.
The plan of having an American Hockey League franchise as a primary tenant is the primary reason for the rejection.
“The gas tax fund does support arenas and recreation centres but not whose primary tenants are professional sports franchises,” Rickford said.
“Pick a city and we will show you across this country where that decision has been made and that commitment by the federal government to not spend taxpayer money on recreation facilities or arenas more specifically whose anchor tenants are professional or semi-professional. Those rules have never been unclear.”
Rickford, who serves as MP for Kenora, said earlier FedNor contributions during the design and schematic stages looked exclusively on the convention centre aspect.
He emphasized a stand-alone convention centre would be eligible for federal funding.
“We were very clear, as was the provincial government, which the convention centre was of keen interest to us. My counterpart (provincial minister) Michael Gravelle and I felt like this was a great economic opportunity for the city of Thunder Bay but a great regional opportunity,” Rickford said.
“Our participation in that exercise was focused solely on the convention centre. I think it’s fair to say those rules were understood.”
