Essential Services: Legault is open to changes to include public transit

Happy with the agreement in principle reached overnight at the RTC from Tuesday to Wednesday, Prime Minister Legault did not rule out making changes to recognize public transportation as an essential service in Quebec.

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After a four-day strike by Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) drivers in Quebec City, where bus service was not provided, Premier François Legault said: “I’m happy that an agreement in principle has been reached.

The Administrative Labor Court ruled that the drivers were not required to provide the required service based on the law defining that only health and safety concerns could be enforced. Mr Legault hinted that public transit would be recognized as an essential service in the future.

“The way the law is written, there is a burden of proof. You must be able to prove that it is an essential service. It is something that should not be ruled out in the end,” said the PM at the inauguration of the third phase of the Samuel-de Champlain Promenade.

“It’s a broad, essential service definition and it’s good that it stays that way.”

It should be considered case by case, he said. “I don’t think anything should be ruled out. […] Already, the way it works, eventually, if we go before a committee or a commission, maybe it will prove to be a necessary service.