The federal government is tapped to increase its promised funding for the expansion by $20 million to a total of $50 million, an action which will be matched by the McGuinty government, according to a report by the Ottawa Citizen.
The funding top-up is in line with what the Congress Centre's management had previously requested in order to allow the project to progress.
The conference centre is also asking for a $15-million increase in municipal funding, to $40 million, as well as taking out a $35-million bank loan. The city's corporate services and economic development committee will discuss the funding increase next week.
In September, the facility's board announced plans to demolish the existing 85,000-square-foot centre and build a three-storey, 200,000-square-foot building in its place.
The plan would expand the Congress Centre's largest room to 100,000 square feet from 43,000 square feet, and would include a park-like space on the side of the building next to the Rideau Canal at the foot of Daly Avenue.
Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in September 2008, with the new Congress Centre scheduled to open in April 2011.
