Days after the province announced a plan to rebuild the Royal Alberta Museum downtown were put on hold; an MP has come forward and said the province told the federal government they could pay their own way.
Member of Parliament Laurie Hawn told CTV News the Alberta Government told the province said they didn't need more than $90 million from Ottawa to build the facility.
Hawn said the province was told when the new location was announced in the spring that no more money would come from the federal government for the project.
"They were told when they did the announcement in April that under the way these programs work that the federal funding would not be there," MP Laurie Hawn said. "They said ‘That's fine, we can do this on our own'."
The comment comes days after MLA Jeff Johnson announced Wednesday evening that the federal government withdrew $92 million from the new Royal Alberta Museum project.
Since the announcement, all of the contracts relating to the project have been put on hold.
Both levels of government have pointed the finger at the other since the announcement; the province claimed Ottawa said the money was committed, and the federal government said it was never formally applied for.
MP Linda Duncan believes the project is important to the city, and the Harper government should fund the project.
"To me this is a project that merits some substantial federal funding," Duncan said.
The mayor has weighed in on the issue as well, and hopes the problem can be resolved.
"My belief is, what I have heard from all parties, is this is solvable," Mayor Mandel said Friday. "It's a misunderstanding between groups of people,
"Let's find a way to do it."
Indeed, all sides agree this is an obstacle that needs to be overcome.
"We are certainly willing to talk to the province," Hawn said.
Provincial and federal politicians will need to sit down to discuss ways to move forward, it's not clear when that will take place.
With files from Sonia Sunger
