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The mayor of Petit-Rocher says his village can put monies from the Northern New Brunswick Initiative fund to good use.

In last week's provincial budget speech by Finance Minister Victor Boudreau, it was announced that $15 million of the $100 million Northern N.B. Initiative would be allocated for this year.

Mayor Pierre Godin said the money would be perfect for a few projects in his village.

"We've got lots of ideas," he said. "An example, is we want to make a CN (railway) station in Petit-Rocher so maybe we could have some money there. We also want to make some sports infrastructure in Petit-Rocher too because the Acadian Games are coming next year so we'd like to fix our soccer, football and baseball fields."

The Northern N.B. Initiative is an infrastructure investment fund of $100 million for the regions of Chaleur, Restigouche, the Acadian Peninsula and Miramichi.

Environment Minister Roland Hache is also the minister responsible for the Northern N.B. Initiative. said the $15 million will be available for all communities in Northeastern New Brunswick.

"We're so used to saying the Chaleur region, the Restigouche region, the Acadian Peninsula region, the Miramichi region but under this fund, the region is considered one region," said Mr. Hache, the Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nigadoo-Chaleur.

The previous Progressive Conservative government had set up economic development funds for the Restigouche-Chaleur, Acadian Peninsula and Miramichi regions, where each received $25 million over five years. That fund was set to expire at the end of 2007 but the Liberal government extended the monies to 2009.

While the Northern N.B. Initiative and economic development funds presently intertwine to some extent, they will eventually be a continuation of one another.

"There could eventually be a connection between the two funds," said Mr. Hache.

He explained the Northern N.B. Initiative is directed towards infrastructure projects while the other fund is focused on business investments.

Mr. Hache noted some example where the Northern N.B. Initiative monies could be used.

"An example, if the Port of Belledune needed an expansion for a company that would like to establish itself in Belledune and needed the port, what we could do is finance that infrastructure for the port," he explained.

"Another example may be in an industrial park. Some industrial parks have a water supply and others don't. For the industrial parks who would like to apply to have a water supply, that is something we could consider."

Mr. Hache said even though the $15 million was announced in the provincial budget, it still has to go through estimates and has to be voted on.

He said applications for this fund can be sought through the Regional Development Corporation.