The Canadian economy is showing more encouraging signs after it dug out of the recession last quarter, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Friday.

"We have seen improvements in business confidence, certainly. We are seeing an increase -- some increases -- in private-sector investment, although we are not comfortable yet that we're at a place where we can stop the stimulus measures," Flaherty said at a press conference in Quebec City.

"The job situation has also stabilized in the last several months, which is always encouraging," he said.

Ottawa unveiled billions of dollars worth of stimulus package to invest in infrastructure to deal with the financial crisis at the beginning of the year. The economy grew at 0.1 percent during the last quarter, the first time it grew after the recession began a year earlier.

Flaherty also said the stimulus projects are being fast implemented.

"They are gathering momentum as we go forward, as engineering studies are done, as environmental assessments are done. So there'll be a lot of cash flow next year into the Canadian economy," he said.

Opposition parties have complained that the money was not going out quickly enough and demanded the government to speed up the delivery process. 　

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2009)