(Ottawa) After years of waiting, construction work on the Lac-Mégantic bypass will begin in the fall, says federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
The Minister maintains that the federal government is making the necessary efforts to ensure that this work goes ahead in the municipality 10 years after the terrible tragedy that claimed the lives of 47 people.
According to him, the construction of such a bypass is an essential element so that the inhabitants of Lac-Mégantic can finally begin their true healing.
The 12.5 km route that was chosen should make it possible to leave the railway right-of-way outside of downtown Lac-Mégantic and reduce the number of buildings located near the railway line. The project provides for the development of two yard tracks in the Lac-Mégantic industrial park so that rail activities from Nantes and Frontenac can be moved there. The realization of the project, which must also cross the municipalities of Nantes and Frontenac, forces Ottawa to expropriate a certain number of owners.
“I remain convinced that the community cannot fully recover from this tragedy as long as the train continues to pass through downtown Lac-Mégantic. The bypass is an important step in this healing,” said the Minister of Transport in an interview with The Press.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Omar Alghabra, Federal Minister of Transport
It is impossible to fully imagine what the sound of the train passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic causes. This is why I believe it is essential to build the bypass for the good of the community.
Omar Alghabra, Federal Minister of Transport
In mid-June, the federal government confirmed that certain residents of Lac-Mégantic will be expropriated as of the 1er August to allow the construction of the new track. The Coalition of Collateral Victims of the Lac-Mégantic Rail Bypass strongly criticized this decision and promised to challenge it in court.
In an interview, the minister acknowledged that the project is causing divisions. He recalled that the construction work was supposed to start last year, but that Ottawa slowed down the pace in order to give a chance of success to the negotiations with the owners affected by expropriations.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
“It is impossible to fully imagine what the sound of the train passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic causes,” explains Omar Alghabra, Federal Minister of Transport.
“Whenever you build an infrastructure project, there are always delicate considerations. I went to Lac-Mégantic in January. I met with the families of the victims and the mayor. I also met people from Frontenac and Nantes. […] This project is in the public interest. The Government of Quebec supports it. Quebecers support it. I understand that there are concerns. But ultimately, this project is in the public interest and we must move forward. »
He indicated that Ottawa is negotiating with Canadian Pacific for a financial contribution agreement. The company will be responsible for managing the construction project. The Canadian Transportation Agency is in the process of reviewing the construction plans before giving it its approval.
Mr. Alghabra said he was not able to specify how much this project will cost, limiting himself to saying that the bill will amount to “hundreds of millions of dollars”.
“There are still a few unanswered questions, such as the contribution agreement with Canadian Pacific. But obviously, it will be a very expensive project. It’s going to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We have already agreed with Quebec to share the bill in a 40% Quebec and 60% Ottawa formula. »
Recently, Minister Omar Alghabra took the time to watch the documentary produced by Quebecor on the worst rail accident in the country’s history.
“The magnitude of this tragedy is beyond comprehension for the Lac-Mégantic region. It was a very powerful documentary, which recalls all the pain and horror of this tragedy despite the passage of time. »
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
A glimpse of the devastation in Lac-Mégantic following the July 2013 tragedy
It is a tragedy that the community, Quebec and the whole country will never forget. And it is important to continue to provide the necessary support to families and the whole community. But it is also important to learn the lessons of this tragedy to ensure that it does not happen again.
Omar Alghabra, Federal Minister of Transport
The Minister also recalled that several changes were adopted in the wake of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy in order to strengthen rail safety. Among other things, it is mandatory to have a team of two employees on the trains at all times. Hand brakes are inspected more frequently. Companies must also have emergency response plans if they are transporting hazardous materials. “We have also increased the number of inspectors by 50%. We doubled the number of inspections per year from 20,000 to 40,000. There were many new measures that were adopted because of this tragedy. »