Federal budget 2016: northeastern Ontario leaders wait on infrastructure funding

Northern MPs are waiting to see how much funding will be available for infrastructure when the federal government tables its first budget today.

They're also hoping to get money for the Ring of Fire, a mineral-rich development project on the James Bay Lowlands.

The Liberals have committed to doubling their investment in infrastructure, and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus tells CBC News it's the right thing to do.

"Will they put the one billion dollars into the Ring of Fire? If this budget is about getting our economy kick-started and looking at the long term, investing in the Ring of Fire is a no brainer," he said.

• Federal budget 2016: 5 things to watch for today

The budget will be unveiled at 4 p.m.

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes said she wants to see the issue of public transportation addressed for people in remote and rural areas.

"They may be investing in subways in the south, but what are they doing for the smaller communities? We're seeing a decrease in that availability," she said.

"So we would like to make sure that ... there would be a plan there with some money."

Hughes said she will also be watching to see whether the federal government will fund the Ring of Fire, and if FedNor funding will be reinstated.

In Nickel Belt, MP Marc Serre will be eyeing today's federal budget with a specific project in mind: Maley Drive.

"This is a project that is ready to go this summer. This is a project that could start right now," he said.

"And yes, of course, there are other projects that we're going to look at. There's existing infrastructure within the city, there's senior housing. There's a lot of different projects but this is the first project that's there now. It's there. We're ready to go. So I'm hoping that, with the support of council, I could bring that to Ottawa and make it happen."

Anything the feds can do 'will help'

Timmins Mayor Steve Black said he hopes to see money for infrastructure that municipalities have been lobbying for across the country.

He said he wants to get funding for roads, bridges and recreation and immediate funding needs to be spent on the reconstruction and maintenance of roads they already have.

"Imade a lot of dollar promises during [my election] campaign and it will be great to see where those dollars are targeted when the budget comes out so we can adjust our planning to try to take advantage of some of those programs."

He noted the connecting link in Timmins hasn't seen the dollar investment that is needed from upper levels of government.

"It was historically supposed to be 90 per cent funded after the program was initiated," Black continued.

"Unfortunately, we've been funding a large portion of it for the last couple of years. So we're hoping to see some funding with the new provincial program that they've rolled out this year. Anything the federal government can do to help invest in roads and bridges and that type of infrastructure would help."