PQ MP Sylvain Gaudreault is concerned to see Quebec reduce by two thirds the minimum amounts drawn from the carbon market that it must invest in transportation, a move he considers “premature”.
Posted yesterday at 3:16 p.m.
According to the elected representative of Jonquière, in the Saguenay, the province still has a significant delay to catch up with in terms of the development of public transport, particularly in the regions.
“I’m just looking in my region, in Saguenay: we have a lot of investments to make to develop public transport, not just in urban areas”, explains the spokesperson for the Environment of the Parti Québécois.
PHOTO PAUL CHIASSON, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Sylvain Gaudreault, PQ MP for Jonquière
Without fanfare, the Legault government has decided to cut in half the minimum amounts drawn from the carbon market that it must invest each year in public transit and sustainable mobility. The news that a new investment floor had been set at 25% for this sector, whereas it was previously 66%, was announced on Wednesday in a decree published in the Official Gazette.
Accelerate the transition
The Legault government argues that this money must be invested in other sectors in order to reduce Quebec’s GHG emissions as much as possible, but Sylvain Gaudreault recalls that transportation is still the largest source of emissions in the province.
We had the proof again this week with the presentation of the tunnel [Québec-Lévis] 2.0 where reserved lanes will only be at certain peak times: the government is not ready to do without solo cars.
Sylvain Gaudreault, PQ MP for Jonquière
The mayoress of Montreal, Valérie Plante, reacted for her part by calling on the Legault government to continue to invest “massively” in public transport despite everything.
“We call on the government to invest massively in active and public transport to respond to the climate emergency. Transport constitutes 40% of our GHGs. We must act to reduce our emissions and accelerate the transition! “, she said on Twitter.