(Quebec) The Legault government considers the 15.5 billion plan from the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) “very positive”, which concludes that a tramway for Quebec is necessary. The Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, assures that the province has the financial means to embark on this vast project, if Quebec makes this choice.
In a press scrum upon his arrival at the council of ministers on Wednesday, Quebec’s big financier was pleased that the province’s credit rating was maintained, despite the record deficit of the last budget. Mr. Girard recalled that sums are already provided for in the Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI) for structuring transport in the capital.
“We have considerable financial resources. […] Governing means making choices and yes, we have the means [de réaliser le projet] if these are the decisions that are made,” he said.
His colleague Jonatan Julien, minister responsible for Infrastructure, later added to the quality of the project unveiled by the Caisse. “We have a long-term vision for Quebec,” he rejoiced.
“I am very positive about the report, the professionalism of the report. We have before us a 15-year, phased, structured master plan. For the National Capital Region, it’s good,” he added.
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, who earlier this week relaunched the issue of a third highway link between Quebec and Lévis, even if the Caisse report indicates that it “is not justified from the point of view of mobility”, limited itself to saying that there is “good news in the report”.
The government is due to hold an official press conference later this week, probably Friday, to formally react to the project unveiled by the Caisse. The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, for his part affirmed that he was still opposed to the tram project.
The CDPQ lets the government decide
For its part, CDPQ Infra is interested in carrying out the ambitious 15.5 billion plan for mobility in the capital and is now leaving it to the Legault government to decide on the course of action to follow.
“It takes a decision, it takes the implementation of good governance to develop, implement and carry out this project quickly,” said Jean-Marc Arbaud, president and CEO, CDPQ Infra, on Wednesday.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESS
Jean-Marc Arbaud (right)
The Caisse recommends a major 28 km tram network as well as 30 km of rapid bus service lanes for Quebec. It believes it can deliver the “backbone” of the tramway, the first line from Le Gendre to Charlesbourg, by 2030.
But to begin the work, it needs a decision from the Legault government. He has made several about-faces on the thorny issue of mobility in the capital.
What is clear is that after six months of analysis, the Caisse is interested in leading the project.
“We would definitely like to contribute. Personally I think that developing mobility plans and improving mobility in public transport is very important, and it will become even more so in the coming years with environmental issues,” says Jean-Marc Arbaud.
With Tommy Chouinard, The Press