Cathy Bennett says federal budget won't knock provincial plans

Newfoundland and Labrador Finance Minister Cathy Bennett says plans for this year's provincial budget won't be impacted by Wednesday's federal offering.

Bennett met with reporters in St. John's on Wednesday, following the unveiling of the federal budget in Ottawa.

She said it matched up with what the province had discussed with their federal counterparts in recent months.

"We anticipate that there'll be limited impact on the plans that we've had so far," she said.

Bennett said she's happy with the budget's commitment to infrastructure funding, which included $11 billion for affordable housing over 11 years and $7 billion over 10 years to create new child-care spaces.

That's aligned with the provincial government's plan to spend nearly $3 billion over 5 years for roads, hospitals and schools across the Newfoundland and Labrador.

She added the federal government seems to be recognizing changes in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"I was certainly hoping that we would see a recognition of the shift that we're experiencing," she said. "The federal government's response in labour market agreements as well as changes in EI eligibility certainly are positive things for us."

Bennett will unveil the 2017 provincial budget on April 6.