Federal MP Chris Malette says the Mayor has him “on speed dial” regarding 49.

But where does a County road land in terms of priorities in the House of Commons?

The federal government needs a delicate touch on how they deliver a funding package to the municipality, notes Mr. Malette. “They don’t want to set any precedents.”

“The federal government does not fund municipal or downloaded provincial highways. We are now trying to find a way to fit a round peg into a square hole but with some of the new funding formulas and programs that have come out, we believe we are closer to a solution,” the MP said. “I’m confident we’re going to come up with something soon. We’re still working on how to make it happen.”

He noted a rehabilitated County Road 49 would protect key local economic drivers: industry, agriculture, and tourism. The desperate need for this project has beenimpressed upon countless federal Ministry of Transportation staffers.

“We’ve ticked all the right boxes. The only thing that remains is to find the right formula and program. If we all of a sudden find a way to throw tens of millions at this project, who’s to say New Liskeard or North Bay aren’t going to come forward and say ‘We’ve got a $50 million stretch of highway that needs it too’?”