(Quebec) The mayor of the capital and Prime Minister François Legault must meet this week to take stock of the thorny issue of the tramway, a meeting which is not a “dinner for idiots”, assures Bruno Marchand .
François Legault’s government has been critical in recent days about the ultimate solution presented last week by Bruno Marchand to save the tram project. The Prime Minister suggested that the new bill of 8.4 billion dollars was “very expensive” and that the adventure seemed risky.
The mayor of Quebec must meet François Legault and the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, Wednesday or Thursday. Bruno Marchand assures us that he thinks he can convince the Quebec government to give the green light to its famous “plan B”, which involves the City being the project manager.
“I feel they have a frank and honest openness. I don’t have the impression that it’s a dinner for idiots,” replied Bruno Marchand on Tuesday to a journalist’s question.
“A dinner for idiots is a dinner where you are there to make people laugh at yourself. That’s not the impression I have. I think we are invited to have a discussion and share our visions. What happens next is in their hands. »
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
François Legault
The government of Quebec, the main financier of the tramway, has known the estimate of 8.4 billion since July. But it was only last week that he learned that the City was going to do without a consortium – too expensive – and ensure project management. Clearly, the City wants to separate the project into lots to reduce costs and assume risks.
Mayor Marchand admitted last week that the only consortium still in the race for the imposing contract, Mobilité de la Capitale, was preparing to submit a bid beyond 10 billion.
Bruno Marchand assures that his “plan B” is “rigorous and real”. The mayor also responded to François Legault, who said last week: “I am told that we have removed all the forecasts for unforeseen events” in the estimate of 8.4 billion.
This is false, according to the mayor. “In the business file, there are 2.2 billion contingencies to counter risks. So, more than 26% of the sums are reserved for unforeseen events,” insists Mr. Marchand.
Forget a metro
The mayor is going all out during this week’s meeting. Bruno Marchand keeps repeating that the “ball is in the court of the Quebec government”. Quebec must in fact assume 51% of the bill, the federal government 40% and the City the remaining 9%.
The Legault government will not be able to gain time for much longer: it will certainly have to position itself clearly on the tramway quickly, while the Alstom company, which obtained the contract for the rolling stock, is waiting to start production.
“We are at the final stretch before launching. We can no longer say: we will wait or we will hesitate,” notes Mr. Marchand.
Mayor Marchand is worried that the CAQ will decide to start everything from scratch by launching consultations on mobility in the capital.
As for the metro, which several opponents of the tramway brandish as a miracle solution, Bruno Marchand does not believe in it in the current context.
“Experts say that a metro is four times more expensive per kilometer. We can say: we want a metro, but four times more expensive, it will be around 30 billion. Is this what we want? », asked the mayor.
“The people of Quebec will have to tell themselves that we cannot be for public transport, wish for it, but never have a solution,” he said. Some didn’t like the SRB, perfect… Others don’t like the tram. And there, would it take a metro? But when you know the facts, if you are against the metro, that means we are really going in circles. »