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Nova Scotia premier likes CFL, but non-committal to provincial help for stadium

Dec 11, 2019 | 10:53 AM

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s premier is remaining non-committal when it comes to provincial help for a business group trying to bring a potential CFL franchise to Halifax.

Stephen McNeil says the issue has not been on the “front burner” for his government, although it is willing to consider ways it might be able to help.

He says while the CFL is an important part of Canada’s heritage, the question he needs answered is whether a team — and a stadium — are economically viable in Halifax.

On Tuesday, Halifax council gave conditional approval to a one-time, $20-million contribution toward the construction of a stadium.

The conditions include that Schooner Sports and Entertainment (SSE) find a site with suitable public transportation links, and that construction is substantially completed before the money is paid out.

Anthony LeBlanc, SSE’s founding partner, acknowledges there is still a lot of work to do including finding new land, securing financing, and getting the province to buy in.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2019.

The Canadian Press