The CQQ has demanded that Quebec City halve the tram

Gabriel Beland
Tap

“This proposal has led to a two-year delay for us because we are halving the tram route,” the Quebec mayor told a news conference.

Regis LaBeoum eventually chose to respond to government criticism. Franకోois Legalt alleged last week that the tram file was “not open for any change”. Quebec decided to restart the project and promised to submit a new route soon.

But the Quebec mayor swore it was untrue. Regis Labum was chosen to raise the bar on months-long secret meetings between the city, government and transport ministries.

“I have met with the Minister of Transport five times since October for an acceptable and logical solution,” the mayor explained. The city submitted two proposals for a revised route to Quebec, which were rejected, still according to its chief magistrate.

Then the government, according to the mayor, proposed a route: reducing the tram route to Charlesburg, stopping at 41 instead^E Street. The $ 220 million savings will be channeled into lanes or bus lanes reserved for suburbs.

The proposal came ahead of the holidays. Regis Labyum agreed. In principle there was an agreement. “We left with a light heart thinking we were going to get government orders,” the mayor said, adding that the government had backed down on the deal.

On February 11, Transport Minister Franకోois Bonnardell presented four new scenarios instead. The government halved the street car halves. The route no longer passes through Limoilou and Liret in the north, and now stops at Saint-Phoebe in the west.

This means that the Le Gendre Terminus is no longer in the plans, which represents a huge logical challenge. In fact, on a field as large as six football fields, the city plans to set up its garage for tram maintenance. According to Mr. Labim, the same land turned out to be very difficult to find in Saint-Foie, close to downtown.

The mayor said he was not given any document. Suffice it to say that there is no question of accepting this proposal on the spot. ”

The next day, February 12, Franయిois Legalt publicly accused him of inflexibility.

“We can not accept that we are simple and we can not accept any change. We have an agreement on change,” the mayor said.

He does not understand the change of government, but he thinks “it is political”.

“I, my interlocutor, his name is Franయిois Bonnardell and I thought he was in good faith. […] We do not need to make a fuss over what happened between Franకోois Bonnardell and the rest of the government, “said Mr. LaBeoum.

In the Office of the Minister of Transport, we would like to reiterate on Monday that “we would like to submit a proposal to the City of Quebec to review the route of the tram and improve the suburban construction network.”

Regis LaBeouf confirms that the February 11 government proposal is not already on the table. “We told myself […] There will be something new. I don’t know what to say to you anymore, ”he said vaguely.