Ottawa to give $3M for Toronto library renovations

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Toronto on Friday to announce some "long overdue" renovations to the city's main reference library.

"Construction plans include a new two-storey rotunda, an expanded new gallery, a spectacular entranceway and new computer work stations," Harper said.

Harper, accompanied by Toronto Mayor David Miller and federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, said Ottawa would be contributing one-third of the $9-million budget for the renovations. 

"Work will be underway by next spring and on the second phase must be completed by March 2011," Harper said. "This means local construction jobs will be created now when they are most needed."

The money will be put toward phase two of a $34-million, five-year upgrade that began two years ago.

'Polls go up, polls go sideways and polls go down'

When asked by a by a reporter if the funding seemed a bit much for one library, Flaherty said the building "is a landmark in Toronto and it's the foundation of what is a fabulous public library system [in the city]."

The main reference library, near the corner of Yonge and Bloor streets, houses the city's largest collection of books and digital archives. 

The money announced Friday is part of the federal government's $4-billion stimulus program.

The announcement comes after a series of polls suggesting the Tories are registering an uptick in voter popularity in Toronto, a city in which they have no seats. But Flaherty dismissed suggestions his party was making a breakthrough in Toronto.

"Listen, you know, polls go up, polls go sideways and polls go down," he said.

"I don’t pay that much attention to them quite frankly. What I am happy with is that the economic action plan is being implemented, including in Toronto."