Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier, centre, speaks to reporters in Ottawa as Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, left, and Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, right, listen. (CBC)

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconner handed a wish list of $3.9 billion in infrastructure projects to the federal government at a meeting in Ottawa on Thursday.

The mayors of Canada's 22 biggest cities met in the nation's capital at the request of the federal government to discuss their priorities.

The most costly items on Bronconnier's list are:

• $1.2 billion for phase 1 of the southeast light rail transit (LRT) line.
• $550 million for an LRT tunnel under Stephen Avenue.
• $380 million for an organic waste conversion facility.
• $200 million for an airport tunnel.
• $157 million for a new city administration building.

Calgary's was part of a list of more than 1,000 infrastructure projects released by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities that the mayors said would be "shovel ready" as early as this spring if federal funding is made available.

"I don't think anyone is under the illusion that governments can spend their way out of this recession, but as a stimulus, infrastructure is a wise investment," Bronconnier said in a news release.

The total wish list from the 22 mayors would cost $13.7 billion, but they estimated the infrastructure projects would create 150,000 jobs and stimulate the economy.

"We've been advance requested by [federal Finance] Minister [Jim] Flaherty and other ministers to bring forward projects that could be mobilized immediately, that would create jobs and sustain the economy well into the future," said Bronconnier.

"In Alberta's case, that means linking up environmental projects with employment gains and opportunity, taking intellectual property and creating jobs that is going to sustain our country for an awfully long time."

The mayors said they'd be watching the federal budget, scheduled to be tabled Jan. 27, carefully to see how swiftly and fairly the government will respond to their concerns.

Transport Minister John Baird, who met with the mayors Thursday, has said there will be a focus on municipal infrastructure, but that the government has other priorities as well.