More than a hundred demonstrators gathered in the Mercier-Est sector on Saturday to protest the establishment of Eastern Air’s Metropolitan Express Network (REM) in Montreal. The project that transmits them to the “second-class citizens” plan, they believe.
Rally participants chanted drums and whistles, “Not for aerial REM. ”
According to REM de l’Est, Automated Light Train, Project Promoter, CDPQ Infra, Caisse. Deposit and location of Quebec. A 7-kilometer underground route should also be established in Montreal-Nord Borough.
REM in the East is a “toxic gift” to Daniel Chartiere, vice president of Collective Environment Mercier-Est, who hosted the event. He believes the metro’s green line already serves the population of the eastern part of the city.
“Getting REM beyond the green line will not help much. This is a bit weird, it’s a way to reduce STM’s financial status. [Société de transport de Montréal] So that the money would be collected in Kaisse’s treasury [de dépôt et placement du Québec] , He declared.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, special contribution
Rally participants marched holding drums and whistles holding placards reading “No to Aerial REM”.
Catherine Miron, a resident of Mercier-Est district, agrees. “It’s not good for us,” she said. “I walk to the metro to get to the city center,” she continues.
Since August, neighboring residents have been complaining that an aerial REM has been set up on Sherbrook Street East, which could adversely affect their quality of life.
Read the article “REM: Stop the crazy race”
“We are second-class citizens in the eyes of CDPQ Infra,” denied Daniel Chartier.
“This is another century-old project that does not respect the will of the people,” said Mary-Noel Lapoint, who attended the show with her two daughters. “In a few years, I would not like my daughters walking down Sherbrook Street with such a structure,” she continues.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, special contribution
“From Perse to Montreal, let us protect our habitations”, we can read on this sign.
The Mercier-Est Environmental Collective has already distributed 14,000 brochures to Letterboxes, as well as meeting with citizens to discuss the controversial project. The group also launched a petition to the National Assembly against the Eastern REM, which received 1,217 signatures on Saturday.
The CDPQ said it had chosen the overhead structure “for a number of purposes” east of the Infra metropolis.
“This design will enable the insertion of a new light metro without affecting the current layout of roads or the circulation of pedestrians, bicycles and cars, in addition significantly reducing the amount of land acquisition to be carried out,” we can read on the CDPQ website.
Project Montreal opposes aerial REM in the east
Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Borough Mayor, Pierre Lessard-Blais, participated in the exhibition.
“Kaisse does not appear to have done a serious job of providing an aerial REM on Sherbrook,” Mr Lessard-Blaise said. He recalled that Project Montreal was opposed to the installation of an aerial REM on Sherbrook Street, as the track was considered too narrow. The CDPQ Infra underground route should be “seriously” evaluated, he stressed.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, special contribution
“The REM neighborhood in the east has not been pulled down, which is not acceptable,” the borough mayor added.
Paul Saint-Pierre Plamandon, leader of the party Quebecois, also took part in the demonstration. “People in East Montreal have had a fair problem for decades,” he said.
Press It was reported in November that the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM) would launch an analysis on the effects of the Eastern REM in early 2022. ARTM submits this document as part of the REM project evaluation by the Office of Public Hearing on Environment.
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