Legault promises a “very beautiful” extension of the REM on the South Shore

Premier François Legault promises that the future East-West Metropolitan Express Network (REM) on the South Shore, between Brossard and Boucherville, will be “very beautiful and very well integrated into the architecture of the different places where it will pass”.

Suzanne Colpron
The Press

He made this statement on Monday during a press conference, after a face-to-face meeting with the mayoress of Longueuil, Catherine Fournier, in a cordial atmosphere that seemed to reflect a certain complicity between the two elected officials. .

Mr. Legault also confirmed that talks are underway with the municipality of the South Shore, as revealed The Pressto determine the route of the future REM branch that will connect Brossard and Longueuil, along Taschereau Boulevard.

“I hope to be able to announce the details of this project over the next few days after we have agreed on the development of the project. For the moment, we agree well on the question of the route, ”he noted.

Mr. Legault said he met with the Caisse de depot, which is piloting this project, a few months ago. “The Caisse de dépôt considers that the project is profitable. So it is interested in moving forward on the Taschereau axis, but also on the east-west axis. There, we are at the stage of refining the project with the mayors who are concerned. »

Fournier wants to be involved

For her part, Mayor Fournier repeated that she wanted to be involved in the discussions surrounding the development of this vast project on her territory, so as not to find herself faced with a fait accompli like the Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, the has been with the Eastern REM.

“We are enthusiastically awaiting the announcements that will be made soon concerning the development of the REM in our territory,” she said.

M^me Fournier added that a committee, set up by the Caisse de depot, would soon submit some route proposals to the municipality.

Integration

According to the mayoress, one of the major issues is the urban integration of the future structure along boulevard Taschereau and in Vieux-Longueuil, a historic district.

“What route will be suitable so that, precisely, the integration is done as best as possible? But also, how are we going to place the different stations? How is it that, architecturally speaking, we will also be able to make a project that is beautiful, that is interesting for the citizens? “, she launched.

During her meeting with Mr. Legault, the Mayor of Longueuil also addressed the issue of access to housing and the protection of the territory. In particular, it is asking Quebec to grant it a right of first refusal, like the one held by the City of Montreal. This right would give the municipality the possibility of having a right of first purchase on the sale of certain coveted land for the construction of social housing. She also wants a change in the law to better protect natural environments.