Since the very start of the downtown arena project, Edmonton Mayor Mandel has repeatedly told the public that other levels of government would step up and help fund the project.

Despite being told no numerous times, from both Premier Stelmach and Premier Redford, that didn't stop the Mayor from telling the public that he was "absolutely confident" the city would receive $7 million from each of the province and the federal government to fund a community/practice rink.

To be clear, this will be an additional ice surface that the Oilers and other NHL teams will use during the day for practices, and will be used on evenings and weekends for Grant MacEwan and other local teams. But... only because the Oilers aren't using it...

Turns out, as should have been expected, that the province won't pay to build a second rink in the downtown arena for the Oilers to practice.

Documents obtained through FOIP by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, show that Premier Redford rejected the mayor's request for $7 million on June 11, 2013, or nearly three months ago.

Despite the mayor and the city knowing that the funding wasn't coming in June, the city's official website on the arena deal still lists it as coming from other levels of government and makes no mention of the province having already said no.

Mention of this $7 million hole in the financing either wasn't discussed at the July 3, 2013 council meeting where they approved the borrowing by-law, or it didn't make any of the local media coverage.

It makes one wonder when the Mayor or city was going to fill in Edmontonians about this additional $7 million hole... perhaps they were checking to see if Katz Group was interesting in chipping-in to pay for the practice arena their NHL team will be using... I'm guessing not.

Kudos to Premier Redford for rightfully rejecting the City of Edmonton's pitch to have taxpayers from across the province cover a third of the cost of building a practice rink for the Edmonton Oilers.