IT WILL BE INTERESTING, indeed, to see who's right, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty or Toronto Mayor David Miller.

Mr. Flaherty seems to see his budget as providing just the stimulus that's needed for Canada during this global recession.

If he's right, billions of dollars will start flowing almost immediately into countless infrastructure projects across the land. Tenders will go out in time for the shovels to start digging as soon as the snow melts.

But if Mayor Miller is right, the money won't start flowing for many months, thanks to the realities of bureaucratic red tape.

The problem, it seems, is that the budget didn't make it clear whether any particular project will get a green light or all will require the normal applications and time-delaying factors such as environmental assessments and ministerial and/or cabinet approvals before anything happens.

Clearly, the speediest way for needed projects to get under way would be for Ottawa to allot an amount to each province with a requirement that the money would flow only for projects for which contracts are awarded by an early date, perhaps as early as May 31.

Were that to happen, the provinces would have to move quickly to match the federal funding and approve applications from their municipalities.

There's surely no doubt that Dufferin and its lower-tier municipalities need to improve their infrastructure. Apart from long-overdue highway projects, there's a need for new or improved sewage treatment plants in Orangeville, Shelburne and Grand Valley.

It will be fascinating to see whether the senior levels of government will be up to the task that's so obviously required.