WINNIPEG -- Time is running out for the city as it tries to meet a critical deadline on the North End Water Sewage Treatment Plant.

The province gave the city a deadline of Friday to bring the plant into compliance with its environmental license.

The city said the timeline could lead to catastrophic consequences such as raw sewage flowing into the river, but the province rejected the city's previous request for an extension on the deadline.

On Monday, Rochelle Squires, minister of Municipal Affairs, said she met with Mayor Brian Bowman and feels confident the city will meet the deadline.

"I'm very confident there will be a plan that I believe will meet provincial approval because we are working collaboratively with the City of Winnipeg and working towards getting the end goal of phosphorus reduction," said Squires.

A spokesperson for the mayor's office said in an email to CTV News, Brian Bowman appreciated meeting with Minister Squires but added the meeting "provided no certainty from the provincial government regarding the funding request submitted last year" for treatment plant upgrades.

They said when it came to an interim solution, the minister noted the province will not impose the implementation of an interim chemical process on Feb.1.

The spokesperson also said the city is continuing Phase 1 construction on the treatment plant alone while it waits for funding from the province and federal government. The city also started its interim phosphorus removal testing contract which is received earlier in January.