The Highway 25 toll bridge between Montreal and Laval will have a Quebec shareholder for the first time. The Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) announced on Monday that it aims to acquire a 50% interest in Concession A25.
The 7.2 km road, which includes the 1.2 km Olivier-Charbonneau bridge that spans the Rivière des Prairies, has been owned by the Australian company Transurban since 2018.
The CDPQ indicated on Monday that it had reached an agreement of 355 million with Transurban to obtain joint control of the A25 Concession. Closing of the transaction is scheduled for March 31.
For users of the bridge opened in 2011, nothing changes, assures the CDPQ.
Currently, it costs between $2.96 and $39.46 to cross the bridge that connects Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles east of Laval. The price depends on the vehicle, the time and the subscription to which the driver may subscribe.
“The various payment methods and service portals, such as the website and the customer service center, will continue to operate as usual, similar to the free toll measures put in place by the Government of Quebec for owners of electric vehicles,” adds the CDPQ in a press release.
This is not the CDPQ’s first partnership with Transurban. Since 2021, the CDPQ has owned 10% of a major Australian infrastructure project, WestConnex, in Sydney.
“We have seen how the CDPQ is a constructive, competent and collaborative partner and we are delighted to continue this excellent working relationship,” said Transurban President and CEO Scott Charlton.
The CDPQ says for its part that it is eager to work with Transurban “to ensure the best possible experience for users of Highway 25”.
“Highway 25 plays an essential role for many residents of Greater Montreal. It reduces travel times, reduces congestion on other arteries and facilitates public transit between Montreal and the North Shore,” says CDPQ Senior Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure, Emmanuel Jaclot.
Mr. Jaclot emphasizes that Concession A25 is “a structuring asset for the mobility of people and goods in Quebec”.
It is a “toll road (which) is characterized by its sustainable approach, offering faster and more efficient routes, both by car and public transport and by bicycle and on foot”, specifies the CDPQ in his statement.
The A25 Concession is a four-lane highway and a six-lane bridge. The bridge has a multifunctional path for pedestrians and cyclists between boulevards Lévesque in Laval and Perras in Montreal which is open from April 15 to November 15.