The third link arouses keen interest from firms, many of which have ordered the documents provided by the Ministry of Transport as part of its international call, and according to our information, several of them have submitted a proposal of interest.
• Also read: A 3rd link not necessarily to the east with public transport… or not
• Also read: Third link: a corridor in summer 2025
The call for international interest was launched by the Legault government on October 11. He asked companies interested in building a new inter-river link between Quebec and Lévis to come forward. The Ministry had made available to them all the documents relating to this project, accumulated over the years. This call closed on November 12.
At least 13 firms
In the government’s electronic tendering system, we see that at least 13 firms have ordered the documents. There are more, according to our sources, since some have chosen not to make their identity public.
Parmi elles, CANAM, CIMA+, Norda Stelo, Groupe Aecon Quebec Ltee, INGEROP Québec SEC, Stantec, Arup Canada. The Journal has learned that several of the firms that ordered the documents have submitted a proposal of interest. In October, the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, said she was certain of having at least five companies that would respond to her government’s call for interest.
The call provided a broad overview of the desired third link project. We opened up to all possibilities: bridge or tunnel, with or without public transport, in a 16 km wide corridor, between the Quebec Bridge and the western tip of Île d’Orléans, and which includes the city center.
At the Ministry of Transport, spokesperson Nicolas Vigneault cannot specify the number of companies that have submitted a formal proposal. “Currently, the Ministry is analyzing the forms received to ensure their admissibility. The number of forms will be confirmed at the end of this analysis.” This could be revealed in the coming days.
Names at the start of the year
We will have to wait until “the beginning of 2025” to know the identity of all the firms. “The next step in the call for interest is to contact the selected companies and hold interviews,” explains Mr. Vigneault. The Department will also ask companies that participate in interviews if they agree to have their identity revealed. It is only at the end of this process that the names of the interested parties who agree to be identified could be made public.
The Legault government wanted to be able to establish more precise corridors for its megaproject in the summer of 2025.
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