OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says the government will likely make mistakes in pushing through billions of dollars in economic stimulus this year, but that it is worth the risk.

Flaherty says the government is taking some shortcuts to get stimulus spending of almost $40 billion over two years out of the door and into the economy quickly.

The minister says officials at Treasury Board, which must approve spending, are modifying their procedures and some initiatives are going directly to cabinet for approval.

He says $6 billion in infrastructure projects contained in the January budget are moving through the system quickly.

The government will outline a plan for implementing the stimulus measures in a report to the House of Commons on March 11.