Posted by Sudbury Northern Life 
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said Wednesday he would pull support for the Conservative budget unless they loosened up the criteria in the application process for infrastructure programs like Build Canada.
He seeks an amendment to the budget requiring the government to make regular reports to parliament in March, June and December on how they were assisting cities with infrastructure spending.
Each report would be an opportunity to express or deny confidence in the government, according to CBC News.
"We've put down a very clear marker; this (federal) money has to get out the door," said Ignatieff Wednesday morning, saying he put the Conservatives "on probation." Otherwise the government would fall, he said.
Greater Sudbury municipal politicians and city staff have complained about the slowness of getting paperwork from Ottawa so shovel ready projects can proceed with Build Canada funding.
"We still need the specs," said Greater Sudbury Mayor John Rodriguez about the last round of infrastructure announcements by the federal government four months ago.
"How eligible are our roads and water and sewer projects? If some are then, we can divert part of the municipal funds to other projects so as to lessen the load on taxpayers," said Rodriguez.
City council has delayed making a final decision on the municipal tax burden until later in February so they have time to assess whether the federal government can assist with city projects.
"We finance infrastructure projects out of our tax base and our reserves. At least we have $100 million in reserves. Not all cities do," said Rodriguez.
"Considering our mining industry sends a lot of money to federal coffers, we expect to get some federal support. That in turn will have an impact on the final 2009 tax load we decide upon."
Currently, the tax tally already adds up to a 3.6 per cent increase in the base budget rate plus a 5.2 per cent hike in water and wastewater services.
What is left is the .5 per cent hike on the capital levy which funds infrastructure. Council has expressed hope that new federal infrastructure money can eliminate the need for the levy, at least for this fiscal year.
