Time is winding down on a deal being secured for the Terra Nova project, but the Federal Minister of Natural Resources isn’t giving up hope.

The companies involved have set Tuesday as the deadline for deciding whether or not to abandon the project.

Minister Seamus O’Regan says he has been speaking with everyone involved, including the CEOs of the companies, in hopes of reaching a deal. He believes “there is a will and a want there” and they are doing everything they can.

When asked about the potential for any more federal money, O’Regan responded that what’s on the table is “a lot of money,” and when asked about a federal equity stake in the project he stated firmly that’s not something being considered.

However, he assures workers that they are fighting for them.

“I refuse to give up,” states O’Regan, who says he is reaching out to stakeholders to “be imaginative” in reaching a deal.