A CAQ government will go ahead with its controversial Quebec-Lévis tunnel project, the third link, whatever the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, thinks.
This was suggested by the leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), François Legault, on Saturday, after an interview with Mr. Marchand at Quebec City Hall.
A $31 million pre-project study on the design of structures such as the tunnel is already underway and this shows that “the project is moving forward and is being carried out,” the Prime Minister’s office told Radio-Canada. .
The mayor has always been critical of the mega-motorway project under the river and demanded to see the studies before deciding. The tunnel of at least 6.5 billion dollars with two tubes is planned to exit in the heart of downtown Quebec and therefore has serious consequences for the capital. The government has always refused to reveal its studies.
“For me, it’s very clear, we’re going to move forward,” said Mr. Legault at a press conference after the meeting with the mayor. He repeated that he was convinced in advance that the studies would prove him right.
“I am convinced that we will have the support of the mayor once the studies are submitted. […] I’m sure we’ll get along with the mayor. »
Mr. Marchand had already said that he was going to oppose it “if it is imposed on me without being able to present to me the facts and the science behind (the project)”.
The mayor did not meet the media after his interview with the chief caquiste.
In contrast, last weekend, after his tete-a-tete with Mr. Legault, the mayor of Lévis, Gilles Lehouillier, a fervent supporter of the third link, took part in a press scrum.
MM. Legault and Lehouillier are counting on significant population growth in the coming decades to justify the project, even if demographic projections from the Institut de la statistique du Québec do not prove them right.
Last week, the CAQ leader said that the decision to build a tunnel was going to be political, regardless of the results of the studies.
Conservative leader Éric Duhaime has also criticized the CAQ government for having “politicized” the Ministry of Transport.