A third scenario seems to emerge as for the famous third link between Quebec City and Lévis. A third version making more room for public transport and integrating the famous tramway project so dear to Mayor Bruno Marchand.
If the information disseminated turns out to be true, we could conclude, without too much error, that in recent months the government has worked to rethink the project in such a way as to respond to the legitimate concerns of many critics. It was therefore not a question of updating pre-pandemic studies, but rather of drawing up a completely different project allowing the interests and projects of the actors in place to converge.
The merchant effect
It would therefore be the first time that the government would propose to pass the tramway under the river, in one of the two tubes imagined in the second version of the third link. The government could thus finally count on the much-awaited support of Mayor Marchand by promising to broaden and integrate the scope of its flagship project, that of the tramway.
This would be an excellent idea that would kill two birds with one stone: not only does it make it possible to federate political actors around a necessary and structuring project, giving a large place to public transport of from shore to shore in an ingenious way that respects the environment, but also, before the federal government, the Government of Quebec has made a solid case for funding this infrastructure that contributes to public transit. There might even be a third blow: will Québec solidaire stand up against a tramway project linking Lévis and Québec?
The Guilbault effect
Although fragmentary, this information suggests that a real Guilbault effect is blowing on the Ministry of Transport. Strategist, the Deputy Prime Minister may have been able to find the right compromise by neutralizing all the criticisms expressed, by putting the monkey on the shoulders of the federal government for funding and by locking QS in its contradictions.
Speaking of financing, the project may be sexier, but how much will it cost? Will the integration of the tramway cause the costs of this imposing infrastructure to explode?