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REGINA – Political leaders in Saskatchewan and Alberta are welcoming word of federal money to help with infrastructure projects during tough times.

A report by Bloomberg News says Ottawa is in talks to allocate $1 billion for infrastructure projects in the two provinces.

The money was already earmarked for infrastructure, in the Building Canada fund, but the federal government is considering speeding up its dispersal.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said the news, if true, is hopeful and his province has projects ready to go.

“We’re going to get involved in a dialogue with the federal government and our industry to try to create new opportunities, new jobs in the sector, work that needs to be done,” he explained.

Wall said he spoke with Justin Trudeau on Monday and the prime minister understands that the West has been boosting the Canadian economy for about a decade.

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The opposition NDP also welcomes the money, but are worried it may not stay in the province.

“They are continually sending these contracts out of province and out of country. I think of the Milwaukee, U.S. firm building the schools in the province,” said NDP leader Cam Broten.

Regina’s Mayor Micheal Fougere says this money would help a number of projects the city has applied for funding on.

“Our transit facilities are aging, how we maintain and operate and fix our buses is really important,” said Fougere.

“We have a lot of bridges that need to be looked at, a lot of overpasses to look at. We have a lot of streets to look at as well. So we have a long list that has gone into the federal government.”

Up Highway 11, Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison is eyeing interchange construction and sewage projects, but wants to know more details first.

In a press conference, he said that Saskatoon has seen 50,000 new jobs in the past decade, and this money would be a boon to future growth.

“Twenty people every single day of the week are moving to Saskatoon,” said Atchison. “I think you can show there’s a lot of need for this infrastructure though-out the city of Saskatoon.”

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Saskatchewan and Alberta have taken a big hit in revenue because of the drop in oil prices.

With files from David Baxter