The tram will not be “drowned”

At the start of 2024, after losing control of the megaproject, the tramway had become the Voldemort of the mayor of Quebec. This project he hoped to no longer talk about, at least for a while. Twelve months have passed and he now agrees to approach her.

Impossible to do otherwise, after a week marked by an official return on track, confirmed by the signing of agreements between the trio now responsible for its realization.

In his vast office at Quebec City Hall, Bruno Marchand welcomes The SunTHURSDAY. As much as Christmas, the meeting of the capital's different media at the end or beginning of the year is part of the tradition. Either for a review, or to signify a new beginning.

This year, unlike the previous one, he preferred the recap. It must be said that the year will have been good. And that it ends on a note worthy of mention, in the eyes of the mayor of Quebec.

In one year, the tramway will have gone from being almost buried to being literally resurrected. “A year later, we are elsewhere,” observes Bruno Marchand, full of confidence for the rest of the project.

This project, which he still considers essential for Quebec — especially if a recession were to hit — will come true, he insists. Not everyone shares this confidence that he exudes.

The “Groundhog Day” feeling

After years of back and forth, skepticism set in. Even among groups fundamentally in favor of the tramway, doubt crept in in the hours following the announcement of yet another postponement of its anticipated entry into service. It is now promised that passengers will be able to board from 2033. The years 2026 and 2030 had previously been anticipated as the horizon for reaching this stage.

Mayor Marchand understands those who wonder if Quebec is “playing the same old movie again, Groundhog Day.”

“There is always a risk of running out of breath,” he admits. But at the same time, if we want to do projects like that and we are not ready to be resilient, to be persevering, to face the different pitfalls, I think it is not worth starting projects like that, because it takes time.”

And as he has been saying for almost a week, Bruno Marchand is convinced that this time is the right one. “The Fund is credible. The 2033 timetable is realistic,” he likes to think.

Still possible “pitfalls”, but…

The fact remains that “things” could still slow down the project, nuance the first magistrate, realistically.

But it will not be the lack of political will, he argues, in a tone that sounds like a defense of the Legault government. Defense that we know little about him since he took office in 2021, while relations have sometimes been tense, particularly in terms of transport.

After the procrastination, the need for a tramway in Quebec is now recognized and everyone is aligned to make it happen, believes Mr. Marchand. Even the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, whose faith in the tramway has been questioned many times in recent years.

“People sometimes see political gestures, but there are no political gestures in there. I understand people analyzing all that, but it wasn't Ms. Guilbault who delayed that. We cannot say: ''it's Geneviève Guilbault who is trying to put this in 2033, which is drowning the fish''. I swear it has nothing to do with it.”

At the same time, he ranks behind the Deputy Prime Minister, to show a bit of impatience to see the federal contribution for the tramway arrive. “It’s true that it’s long,” he admits. We need to have our 40% on par with what the others have. And right now, he’s not here.”

It will be necessary to secure the promised money before a potential turnaround in the Commons, he urges. Without, however, being overly concerned about the coming to power of the conservative Pierre Poilievre, he insists on the “injustice” to which the City of Quebec would be a victim if Ottawa gave up its share.

“Election or no election, Poilievre or Trudeau, cool thing or Jean-Guy, projects cannot be dependent on “I arrive, I leave, I leave, I change projects, another one arrives, we leave again” . We’ll never do anything.”

— Bruno Marchand, mayor of Quebec

Even without anyone in the way of the tram, the mayor of Quebec does not come forward to say that it is “100% irreversible”. “Theoretically, nothing will ever be irreversible. We don't know the future. However, we are further away than we have ever been. We are further away, and the further we are, the more complicated it is to turn around.”

Time to time

With what he describes as a “victory,” Bruno Marchand is perhaps beginning the final year of his first mandate with less weight on his shoulders.

But the weight of the tram will continue to weigh on the opinion that certain voters have of it, analyzes the main person concerned, who received a satisfaction rate of 38% in the last SOM poll.The Sun-FM93, in October.

“I think it is closely linked to the tramway, but it is also closely linked to the fact that when we make changes, it disrupts things. And it’s easy for opponents to attach labels that are false.”

Ideas, he notes, “until they are realized, they do not percolate fully.” Nothing, however, to diminish his ambition on his proposals, however unpopular they may sometimes be.

“My observation is that when we try to make changes that will last over time, it takes time.”

“Planting trees and hoping that the fruit will grow the same year, it’s not going to happen.”

— Bruno Marchand, mayor of Quebec

Three years in the rearview mirror later, the Marchand administration says it is “time for the first harvests.”

And she hopes to be able to reap the fruits of her “vision” even beyond 2025.

In short, Bruno Marchand on…

The Colosseum

“You know my position, it does not change. We are waiting for the report from the Planning Commission. But there is one thing that is certain, which is that depending on what the Commission says, we are not going to put in place a moratorium if we are convinced of something. We have to make a decision too.”

The homes

“There are people who understood: 'the mayor is anti-fireplaces and he doesn't want you to make fires'. It was never like that. What we said is that if you have a certified stove, you will help save 100 lives.”

The release of Gilles Lehouillier on the credibility of CDPQ Infra

“I don’t know what he’s doing. It is up to him to present his vision, but regarding the credibility of CDPQ Infra, there is no one who questions that. It is not because a credible organization does not say what we want to hear that it is not credible. After that, he can disagree, he can say that there are other arguments, that there are other routes. He has the right to believe in such a project, but CDPQ Infra has done a credible job.”

Christmas as mayor

“It remains a job that you work 15, 16, 17 hours a day. You may say: when I am present, I am present in curse, the fact remains that you are not so much present. I have children who are older […] so we are able to find compromises. We're going to spend three days together, behind closed doors. We put away our cell phones, we make tea, we go outside, we enjoy life. I've never been in better shape at this point.”