The Municipality of Tadoussac fears the economic impact that would come with the construction of a bridge to the North Shore and asks the government of François Legault to look into the matter.
The vast majority of elected officials on the North Shore have been calling for years for the construction of a bridge to cross the Saguenay River between Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine. At present, motorists must take the ferry or make a long detour through the city of Saguenay.
The CAQ government has already commissioned two studies on the issue. The Prime Minister has shown openness to the project and the former mayor of Baie-Comeau, now Caquiste MP for René-Lévesque, Yves Montigny, has been campaigning for the project for years.
But Tadoussac is afraid of losing some 70 jobs related to the ferry, in addition to the economic spinoffs that come with the passage of thousands of cars and snowmobiles.
“We understand the importance of a direct link for the Côte-Nord economy. But from there to circumvent and isolate Tadoussac a little… If it is done to our detriment, it could be frowned upon, ”launches Mayor Richard Therrien in an interview.
The municipal council has just adopted a resolution asking Quebec to conduct a study that focuses solely on the economic impacts of a bridge on the village of 814 inhabitants.
“Beyond the 70, 80 ferry jobs,” the mayor details a series of impacts that could afflict his village. He fears in particular that the snowmobilers, who come to the village to take the ferry, will desert it if they cannot cross the future bridge.
“In winter, there are thousands of snowmobilers who come to sleep, eat, gas in Tadoussac. We fear the devitalization of businesses, ”he says.
Two studies are already underway
The CAQ government has already commissioned an opportunity study on the bridge. In particular, this study must examine three scenarios. In two of them, the bridge would bypass Tadoussac, and in the third, it would pass near its center.
Quebec has also commissioned a socio-economic study on “the repercussions of the construction […] on the operation of the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry” and on “possible mitigation measures”. Tadoussac believes that this study is too broad and therefore requires a third.
This request is not acceptable to the Coalition Union 138, which brings together elected officials, Innu communities and Côte-Nord organizations in favor of a bridge.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Merchant ship leaving the Saguenay Fjord
“We’ve been talking about this file for 60 years, we’ve had this desire for a fixed link with the rest of Quebec,” remarks Guillaume Tremblay, spokesperson for the Coalition. “And in the past, there have been several, studies done, but nothing has changed. »
He says he understands Tadoussac’s concerns, but invites elected officials to wait for the publication of the socio-economic study before asking for another.
The Coalition hopes that the two studies will be published next fall. “The real part will be to convince the Legault government to move forward,” says Guillaume Tremblay.
“With the third link, we see that the price does not matter when the political will is there,” he says. We see that the political will for the third link is there. We want the same political will here. »