In an effort to use all funding avenues possible to help pay for the downtown arena, Edmonton’s mayor made a plea to other municipal leaders in the capital region – and the majority of them voted to support a bid for provincial money.

The Capital Region Board voted Thursday to support Edmonton’s bid for $25 million, from the provincial government’s Regional Collaboration Program.

The program is expected to offer $141 million over the next three years, for projects that benefit regions as a whole.

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel made his plea to the board in an item added to the meeting’s agenda late Wednesday – asking neighbouring municipalities to support Edmonton’s bid for a $25 million portion of the RCP.

It’s hoped that funding could help fill the $55 million funding gap for the downtown arena – if the application is successful, and the city receives the full amount, $30 million remains.

The funding gap is down from about $100 million the city originally pegged the province to cover, in a previous council meeting, it was decided that $45 million would be borrowed from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative fund, if the province covered the $55 million.

However, some at Thursday’s meeting were disappointed with the move – in the meeting, Bon Accord Mayor Randolph Boyd called the request unfavourable and unreasonable, saying: “I wouldn’t do it to you, so why would you do it to us?”

Mandel said in the meeting that the city’s bid would not take potential money away from other municipalities, because, based on population, Edmonton is actually eligible for $32 million.

Now that the Capital Region Board approved the bid, Mandel said he expects the majority of city councillors to support the grant application.

As for the provincial government, Municipalities Minister Doug Griffiths said he wouldn’t judge whether the application would qualify, but admitted it will have more support now.

“There’s no doubt that when a massive group of municipalities come together to talk about what their priority is in the region, that it carries a lot of weight with us,” Griffiths said.

The vote came a day after Edmonton’s City Council voted unanimously to defer the debate on funding for the downtown arena to a later date, to give time to explore other funding options for the project.

With files from Bill Fortier