The population of the municipality of Frontenac, in Estrie, rejected Sunday by referendum the proposal for a railway bypass of Lac-Mégantic which was to pass through its territory.
Residents of the area answered 92.5% no to the question: “Do you approve of the project for the new railway bypass on the territory of Frontenac?” »
Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra traveled to the region on January 19 to meet with the mayors of the municipalities affected by the twelve-kilometre bypass (Lac-Mégantic, Nantes and Frontenac), as well as than citizens. In the wake of this meeting, the Nantes city council had withdrawn its support for the bypass. That of Frontenac should normally take into account the will of the population expressed during the referendum on Sunday.
The expropriation of the land necessary for the construction of the bypass began a few days ago. Their number has not been specified. The City of Lac-Mégantic has reached a mutual agreement settlement with the federal government for 20 lands it owned.
Minister Alghabra points out that the objective of the bypass project is to ensure that there are no more trains passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic. Ten years ago next July, a train loaded with crude oil rolled down an upstream slope before derailing in the heart of the city, triggering explosions and a huge fire that killed 47 people.
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