Fredericton-area communities hoping for infrastructure funding

Premier ShawnGraham's Liberalgovernment hands down its first provincial budget Tuesday afternoon, and community officials in Fredericton, Oromocto and New Marylandare watching especially closely.

Finance Minister Victor Boudreau told reporters Monday the government's first budget is well-balanced, and it wasn't easy because the Conservatives left the government with a financial shortage when the Liberals came to power five months ago.

Fredericton city council has been waiting for a provincial commitment on a number of major projects.

Walter Brown, chairman of the planning and priorities committee, which liaises with the province, hopes the budget will mention a proposed government building in downtown Fredericton.

The building would be part of the city's planned convention centre complex, a project Graham himself committed to in his first state of the province address last month.

"By making that commitment, we feel then they've made the commitment to the provincial office building by committing to the design," Brown said Monday.

Brown said he wants the budget to address funding for major improvements, including the completion of the Westmorland Street Bridge ramp and the start of the Marysville bypass on Route 8.

"And we'd like to see the paving of the ring road system on the Westmorland Street Bridge towards Douglas," Brown said.

Water system improvement is a main concern for Oromocto Mayor Faye Tidd and New Maryland Mayor Frank Dunn.

They say they hope to see the province announce infrastructure funding that could be used to improve the water supply systems of both communities.

"We're looking at an above-ground water tower, improve the in-ground infrastructure," Dunn said. "In some areas, it's over 35 years old."

Dunn said if the province does commit funding for the water system upgrades, it would put pressure on the federal government to do the same.