(Quebec) It's amazing what a year can do in politics. At the end of 2023, the mayor of Quebec refused to talk about a tramway after the government withdrew the project from the City and handed it over to the Caisse de dépôt.
Published at 5:00 a.m.
What you need to know
- The City of Quebec, the provincial government and CDPQ Infra signed agreements on Monday for the first phase of TramCité;
- CDPQ Infra, the prime contractor, launched a call for interest to the market this week;
- The mayor of Quebec wants to break ground next spring, with a view to the first phase of the project, which should see the light of day in 2033.
The word was almost taboo. “It’s the government’s project,” repeated Bruno Marchand.
One year and a very favorable report from CDPQ Infra later, the mayor of the capital has taken up the pilgrim's staff. Mr. Marchand swears that the project launched in 2018 by Régis Labeaume has never been so close to the goal.
“The tram is going to be built. We are more optimistic than ever,” Mayor Marchand said on Friday during an end-of-year interview.
The Fund will not fool around. He is a credible player who executes plans magnificently. That makes me very happy. We are moving forward. We are not in speculative mode.
The mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand
On Monday, CDPQ Infra, the Quebec government and the City announced the signing of agreements for TramCité. This first phase will be 19 km long, will have 29 stations, 1 tunnel and must be inaugurated in 2033. The cost is estimated at $7.6 billion.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY CDPQ INFRA
The plan for the first phase of the future Quebec City tram network, which should see the light of day in 2033
Several gray areas remain, however, but they do not seem to prevent the mayor of Quebec from sleeping. “There is uncertainty, but it is less than people think. »
Between Hamad and Poilievre
The first is called Pierre Poilievre. The Conservative leader swore that he would not put “a penny” into the tram. He wants to pay for the third link project instead. But the federal government has already committed to funding the tramway to the tune of 1.44 billion. According to the mayor, a new prime minister will not be able to do anything about it.
“Even if Poilievre says: “I'm going to tear up the agreement”, he is linked to these agreements in the parliamentary system in which we are, he cannot say: “Ah, the government is committed, I, I’m breaking this” while the project is already underway. »
The Quebec government wants Ottawa to guarantee its share, or 40% of the bill, which represents 3.04 billion. But the City is not concerned by this standoff: its agreement is with the Quebec government.
There is then the possibility that an anti-tramway candidate will beat Bruno Marchand in the municipal elections in fall 2025. His anticipated opponent, Sam Hamad, has not made his position on the tramway known. Such an about-face would be extremely costly, warns Bruno Marchand. His administration has in fact accepted a binding clause in its agreement with Quebec.
The City and the government have agreed to share the cost of the preparatory work on the roadway (the federal and provincial governments will pay for the entire tramway, including the rails, the catenary system, the cars, etc.).
However, if a new mayor took power and canceled the project, the City would have to pay for all of the preparatory work already carried out, without help from Quebec. The municipality plans to invest 262 million in the project in 2025 alone.
“It would be a disaster to do that. We would have paid in a vacuum, we would have open sites. It would be a financial and economic disaster, the entire boom we would benefit from would be put on ice, warns Mayor Marchand. The phone rings, projects come in. The impact on local entrepreneurs would be catastrophic. »
Unimaginable?
The La Romaine power station cost 7.4 billion, he said. The tram must cost 7.6 billion. A mayor who turns his back on these investments or a possible prime minister like Pierre Poilievre who tries to sabotage the project would give “a terrible blow to the legs of Quebec”.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The City of Quebec began preparatory work years ago, as evidenced by this construction site on Chemin de la Canardière, in November 2023.
“Businesses, entrepreneurs, employees, those who build trams, those who do residential, commercial, industrial construction… Service companies, in law, in notarial, in accounting… lists Mayor Marchand. Coming to say: “I want to be mayor of Quebec” and saying: “I don’t want to do that”, is like wanting to be prime minister of Quebec to cancel James Bay. »
It would be like saying: “I want to be mayor of Montreal and I would like to demolish Montreal, destroy Montreal and bring it to Longueuil and Laval.” It can't be!
The mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand
The mayor wants to make a first shovelful of ground for the tramway in spring 2025, just to show that the preparatory work is going well, that there will be no going back.
“I don't really like the expression “preparatory work”. When you pour the foundation of your house, we could say that it is preparatory work… but you build your house, you will not go back, illustrates the mayor. We are renovating the basement to be able to roll out the tram. We are moving forward. »
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