VANCOUVER -- Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says he opposes an open-ended federal guarantee to cover costs of the financially-troubled Olympic Village construction project in Vancouver.
He says he wants to see what the B.C. government and the City of Vancouver propose to do to ensure the project is finished in time for the 2010 Games before suggesting what Ottawa should offer.
Vancouver and the province have been forced to step in after financing to complete the village fell through because of cost overruns and the world financial crisis.
The city has asked the province to amend its charter so it can borrow the $450 million dollars needed to finish the project.
Ignatieff was in Vancouver Thursday to meet with business leaders about the January 27th federal budget, and also has a town hall meeting planned in Surrey on Thursday evening.
He said he'll be watching tomorrow's first ministers' conference to make sure Ottawa doesn't download costs onto the provinces, adding that it's good that governments at all levels are working together to address the economic situation.
But Ignatieff says he doesn't want Prime Minister Harper to pass responsibilities that are primarily federal down to the provinces.
