The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) deployed the heavy artillery on Friday, announcing funding of $450 million to initiate numerous projects for the Québec region.
The chief caquiste François Legault declined his program, during a press conference.
“We see very big for the greater Quebec City region,” he said. We want to give the region all the tools it needs to become Quebec’s second metropolis. »
The centerpiece of his announcement is a new public market to be built at the location of the ferry terminal. The CAQ predicts that the ships will no longer be needed thanks to its tunnel project.
The construction of the building would make it possible to resuscitate the Champlain Market, a building from the 19e century destroyed by fire in 1910.
A nationalist market
The goal is to add an attraction in Old Quebec, where the CAQ hopes to increase tourism by 35%, said the minister responsible for the National Capital, Geneviève Guilbault.
“It’s a project that will be done on the basis of an assumed nationalism, where everyone will be able to re-immerse themselves in our history while savoring local flavors,” she said.
Construction costs and timing are unknown. A team would specify the project after the elections.
The training also wants to set up a network of river shuttles at this location in particular. Once again, this project would be the subject of a study, after the elections.
In addition, the CAQ wants to add bike paths in the region, protect the capital’s drinking water supply and increase immigration to the region.
In all, 450 million are provided just to initiate all these projects.
Blur around third link
Mr. Legault renewed his commitment to support the tramway project in Quebec. He also repeated the need for a third link between the two shores. Studies are available but Mr. Legault wants them to be redone to take into account the effects of teleworking.
The CAQ leader nevertheless gave the indication that important questions remain for the 6.5 billion project.
“It remains to be decided whether it is a bridge or a tunnel,” he said. We want a tunnel. »
Then, Mr. Legault said that the studies could determine whether four or six lanes are needed in the tunnel, which has four in the current version.
continue the change
Conservative leader Éric Duhaime, who advocates the construction of a bridge, was amused by the vagueness created around the third link.
“We’ll have to call him François Lagaffe Legault,” he said.
Mr. Duhaime was delighted to see his CAQ opponent campaigning in Quebec, which he sees as a sign that the CAQ feels threatened.
“Every time François Legault is in the Quebec region, tell yourself that it’s because things are going very well for the Conservative Party of Quebec. »
In a region where the volatility of the electorate always has surprises in store, Mr. Legault expressed confidence that the CAQ will thwart the appetite for change that Mr. Duhaime would benefit from in the region.
“We proposed changes in 2018 and we now propose to continue implementing those changes,” he said.