On June 4, 1897, dental surgeon Henri-Edmond Casgrain became the first Quebec motorist. His three-wheeled Léon Bollée buggy, similar to a motorcycle, had been delivered from France in parts. The Quebec notable did not go unnoticed as he hurtled down Chemin Sainte-Foy at a speed of 29 kilometres per hour. The noise and smoke from the engine terrified the horses, which dominated the dusty streets of the capital.
A little over a century later, Quebec—like the rest of North America—is in the grip of “car culture.” Quebecers have “diesel in their veins,” to borrow the expression of the late Serge Bouchard, even if the “all-car” approach is far from fulfilling its promises of freedom. Quite the opposite.
In an essay that is being published these days, the historian Étienne Faugier, lecturer at the Université Lumière Lyon 2, goes back to the sources of the “dependence on cars” that reigns among us. The essay Quebecers at the wheel. The automobile revolution in the Quebec region is an improved version of his doctoral thesis, published in 2013 by Laval University and that of Lyon.
The professor devoted his thesis to Quebec City, the “car city” par excellence, where the bus lanes and the tramway project are denounced as nuisances by part of the population. These opponents of public transport also demand that the hypothetical “third link” between Quebec City and Lévis – demanded since 1909 – be reserved for cars.
“Motor vehicles have won the battle for mobility in Quebec,” says the French researcher, who spent three years in Quebec City for his research. His thesis focuses on the capital because of the proximity of documentary sources, but he specifies that his conclusions are valid for Quebec and the West. With the exception of Europe, where public transportation has been established for decades.
The tone of the book is that of an academic. We are far from the Black Book of the Automobilea well-documented pamphlet launched 25 years ago by former municipal official Richard Bergeron. The moral of the story, however, remains the same: “Quebecers would benefit from opening up to other forms of mobility that are sometimes faster, more efficient and less expensive.”
“Motorized Civilization”
When he arrived in Quebec for his master’s degree in 2005—he made other trips there afterward—Étienne Faugier was struck by the vastness of “Canadian” spaces. And by the traffic jams that annoy thousands of motorists during morning and evening rush hours.
People complain about congestion without understanding that they are not “stuck in traffic”. They “are the traffic”. However, European cities have long demonstrated that the solution is simple, recalls Étienne Faugier: the tram, the train, the metro and the bus move infinitely more passengers than the solo car in an urban environment.
In other words: the more public transport there is, the less traffic congestion there is. Scooters, bicycles (especially electrically assisted ones) and other forms of “micromobility” also contribute to decongesting the streets, the expert points out.
Quebecers would benefit from opening up to other forms of mobility that are sometimes faster, more efficient and less expensive.
But the real “motorized civilization” established in Quebec since the arrival of the first car in 1897 is hard to shake. Motorists cling to the dream of freedom promised by advertising, even if the explosion in the number of motorized vehicles in the city – especially in Montreal and Quebec City – leads to the congestion we know.
It’s paradoxical, notes the researcher: cars have never been so fast, but they drive in cities at reduced speeds. This does not prevent them from killing dozens of pedestrians and cyclists every year, who have the misfortune to find themselves in the path of impatient motorists.
Evil machines
It is not for nothing that citizens are campaigning today for more traffic calming measures, especially after the deaths of students walking to school. The anti-tank movement began as soon as the first cars arrived at the beginning of the last century, the historian recounts in his book.
There was then “a real aversion to the automobile and its nuisances – dust, noise, speed and smells – which [traduisait] “by fear of the vehicle,” writes Étienne Faugier. He recalls that some opponents, particularly in rural areas, have even taken up arms to block cars.
The priests denounce these diabolical machines that bring thousands of American tourists to Quebec—more than 18,000 by 1919. These foreigners import “sin” and threaten social peace. The clergy considers buying a car a waste. It is better to spend your money on your family.
The lure of “freedom” and “speed” quickly overcame the warnings of the priests. In 1912, the Dr Valmont Martin traveled to New York in five days aboard his Speedwell. An automobile club (the forerunner of the CAA) was founded the same year in Quebec. To obtain the support of the Church, the automobile lobby launched a tradition that would continue until 1960: an “orphans’ walk” dedicated to entertaining hundreds of children.
A love story
The number of motor vehicles is constantly increasing. The horse-drawn transport industry, established for centuries, is being squeezed out by the vroom-vroom of cars and trucks. It is a massacre for horses – even though they have priority over motor vehicles. Pedestrians are also affected: in the 1940s, they accounted for the majority of deaths on public roads.
However, governments have been taking measures since the beginning of the 20th century.e century to regulate traffic: imposing speed limits, driving licenses, registration, driving lessons, and so on. The snow removal of roads, which began during the winter of 1928-1929, increased road insecurity. Until then, motor vehicles had not been used during the cold season, which left the way open to transport by cart.
Rapid industrialization around World War II caused the number of motor vehicles to explode. Governments launched the “largest road projects in the history of the country.” Motorways invaded the landscapes, grand boulevards lined the cities. Suburbs emerged.
The Quebec City tramway, which had been running summer and winter for half a century, was abandoned in 1948. The streets and roads were widened. Each new lane filled with motor vehicles. Despite the traffic congestion, Quebecers’ love affair with their car continues today.
Densify the city
Étienne Faugier does not judge people, especially outside major centres, who swear by their cars. It is often the only means of transportation in the vast territory of Quebec. However, the French researcher believes that governments must offer an attractive alternative to solo driving. To do this, massive investment must be made in public transport. And urban sprawl, which brings ever more cars onto already congested roads, must be curbed.
“In France, it is forbidden to build on new virgin territories. The goal is to densify cities so that people live closer to their workplace. It is a societal choice. Are we ready to live in smaller spaces, where neighbors are closer together than in the suburbs?”