Ottawa will move forward with the Lac-Mégantic railway bypass project. This is what the Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, announced today during a press briefing accompanied by the mayor of the municipality, Julie Morin.
“It’s the start of something important, it’s something we’re starting now,” said Mr. Rodriguez, in front of the city’s heritage station. “I think we are getting closer to the day when the people of Lac-Mégantic will perhaps not be able to turn the page, because we never really turn the page on an event like that, but […] have a little peace and quiet. »
Ottawa will pay the bill, but it is the municipality that will be in charge, added Mr. Rodriguez.
More concretely, the City of Lac-Mégantic has the green light and financial support from Transport Canada to begin preparatory work on certain infrastructures that will have to be moved or protected, such as the aqueduct network. “We launched a call for tenders in order to obtain the provision of professional services for the movement and cladding of aqueduct located in two areas of the industrial park,” explained the mayor, Julie Morin, specifying that the cost of this initial work is estimated at $1.7 million. “This is a first concrete step. »
As for the total costs of the bypass project, Minister Rodriguez acknowledged that they far exceeded forecasts. However, he refuses to give the exact amount since the call for tenders is in progress. He did not give details on the timeline.
The minister also sees no problem in starting the work when the Canadian Transportation Agency has not completed its analysis. “We are confident of having a positive response. If recommendations are included in this, obviously, they will be respected, but we can do things in parallel,” he indicated.
The Ministry of Transport confirms that several expropriations are planned to complete the selected route and that some of them have started. Out of around forty expropriations, around fifteen are contested in court by their owners. An application for an injunction will be heard on October 24, suspending the work in the meantime.
Criticisms and fears
Owning a “little paradise” in Nantes, a 28-acre sugar bush, Sylvain Côté is one of the owners who are contesting their expropriation in court. “As a paramedic, I have a shift schedule and I have to be 5 minutes from my barracks. Find me 2000 maple trees 5 minutes from my barracks. There are not any. I had the jackpot “, he says.
Above all, he deplores the lack of listening on the part of Ottawa. “It’s the way it’s done and the way we’re treated by Transport Canada,” he said. “They are stubborn. » Sylvain Côté recalls that several solutions had been put forward since 2018, including a route that would pass further north, to keep the train away from the population. “Nothing has been started and they have never settled on our proposals. »
Like his counterpart in Nantes, the mayor of Frontenac, Gaby Gendron, is concerned about the repercussions of the work and the construction of the railway bypass on the drinking water reserves of the citizens of his municipality. “Yes, we have environmental concerns. We must understand that nearly 1,000 hectares of wetlands will be destroyed,” he maintained.
Yes, we have environmental concerns. We must understand that nearly 1,000 hectares of wetlands will be destroyed.
According to analyses, 138 citizen wells could be affected by a reduction in the quantity of water, as well as its quality. Reaction times must be rapid, underlines Mr. Gendron. “If a citizen’s well is ever contaminated, how long will it take before they know it and can drink their water again? If [les experts] only carry out tests once a year, the citizen will have drunk contaminated water for a year? »
Mr. Gendron, however, says he is encouraged by listening to the new minister Pablo Rodriguez. “I hope it stays. »
Support under conditions
Very critical of the bypass project, the Coalition of citizens and organizations committed to rail safety in Lac-Mégantic has taken note of the government’s decision to move forward, but does not intend to give support like a blank check. “We know that the bypass is a necessary evil,” said coalition spokesperson Robert Bellefleur. “But we will not give [au gouvernement] our unconditional support. »
The coalition asks the minister that the speed of the train does not exceed 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), which is currently the case, while it is planned that convoys be authorized to go up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).
“Just yesterday, I saw a train pass from Southern Mexico. They were double-decker containers and at the back, they were hazardous materials tanks. I counted 225. Imagine yourself at 40 miles per hour, in the middle of an industrial environment, said Mr. Bellefleur. After losing our downtown, we certainly don’t want to lose our industrial park. » He points out that the slopes have barely been softened by 0.2% in the chosen route.
During question period, the Minister of Transport said he was “completely open” to reducing the speed of the train. “It’s common sense,” he continued. He even went further by reminding railway companies, like Canadian Pacific, that they have responsibilities. “The train companies are not there for the world, they are there to make money. But they also have social responsibilities and that is our jobwe, as a government, but also up to citizens, to ensure that they respect […] the environment in which they evolve. »
No “perfect project”
Robert Bellefleur notes that, ten years after the tragedy, the bypass project continues to divide. “It was announced as a social healing project by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but in fact, we are facing a project of social division. There are families and people who no longer speak to each other, municipalities in conflict. »
According to Minister Rodriguez, who made many empathetic statements during the press briefing, there will be no “perfect project”. “But are we able to talk to each other? I think so. […] But, once again, we must move forward. »
On July 6, 2013, a major fire broke out during the night when a train of 72 tank cars derailed in the heart of the city. The tragedy claimed the lives of 47 people.