The preparatory work for the tramway is multiplying almost everywhere in the City of Quebec. Infrastructures are moved so that they are not under the concrete slab of the tramway. I had read, in an article of the Suna few weeks ago, that approximately $690 million would be spent to settle this preparatory work.
I am an ordinary citizen, I thought it was a lot of money for such work, especially since at the 1er March 2023, we do not yet have a realistic idea of the final cost of this very expensive project (nor of the running costs of the tram). Note that the costs of all major projects are currently exploding.
I also remember that support for the project is in the minority among the citizens of the
Ville de Québec and that it could drop sharply if it turns out that its financing exceeds 5 billion according to the media.
The significant investments already made reminded me of the lobster cage technique: when a lobster enters a cage, it is impossible for it to get out. Has the City engaged in a very large number of preparatory works for this purpose, that is, to lead citizens to think that as long as it is, they might as well complete this project?
Finally, I have environmental convictions and I can only regret the cutting of a real urban forest, namely the Legendre woods — which also includes wetlands, a major element for the preservation of biodiversity — for the garage of the future tramway. The newspapers also informed us that a community garden in Limoilou had been “ransacked”, heavy machinery having circulated on the land cultivated by the Limoulois who had a plot there, sometimes for a long time, when we know very well that the waiting lists for community gardens are often very long.
All this while the real work has not even started yet.
I admit that I have a lot of questions about this strategy — would we like, if we can put it like that, to force the hand of citizens?
And if, due to excessive costs by the main funders (Quebec government and federal government), the project was abandoned, would the cost of this preparatory work be justified?