“We could finally say,” he said Thursday, on the sidelines of a press conference.
A few hours after the confirmation of an agreement between Quebec, Ottawa and Canadian National on the purchase and perpetuation of the Quebec bridge, Bruno Marchand was satisfied to see the saga coming to an end.
The change of hands, he hopes, will come to fruition “quickly”. “I will wait for more details to give you more explanations on my assessment,” he simply said, in the absence of details on the amount and the terms included in the agreement.
He is now encouraged to be able to discuss more quickly with Ottawa than with the former owner. “You can be sure of that. There is no doubt about it,” he predicts.
A “jewel” to shine
For about two years, the mayor of Quebec has shown signs of impatience with the long discussions that began decades ago. In 2022, he even encouraged governments to “lock in” together in order to resolve the impasse over the ownership of the century-old infrastructure.
During this time, the only rail, cyclist and pedestrian link, left abandoned, has deteriorated, observes Mayor Marchand.
“There are still challenges,” he adds, tempering his enthusiasm. This structure does not expand because we become its owner. There are still issues at stake, but I think there is a common will.”
In a completely baseball comparison, while he was at Canac Stadium for an announcement on the renovation of the building, he illustrated that to reach “marble”, the Quebec Bridge will also have to undergo work.
However, there are still a few “sure hits” to be struck before getting there and rediscovering the “pride” of this inter-river bond.
“Marble is about highlighting, it’s about making something beautiful out of it. If you pass there later, you will see, it is solid, but its beauty leaves something to be desired.”
— Bruno Marchand, mayor of Quebec
“There is a gem there that we should be proud of. Currently, people look at it and unfortunately leave it aside because we are not very proud of it. It is time to reverse the trend,” he urges.
The mayor of Lévis was also delighted with the conclusion of the file, speaking of “very good news” for the region.
“The Quebec Bridge is a heritage symbol in North America and a vital link between the two shores. The people of Lévis and Quebec deserve quality infrastructure,” argues Gilles Lehouillier
WHAT THEY SAID
“We have repeatedly spoken out to all parties involved to defend the interests of our community and ensure a prosperous future for our region. We look forward to learning the details of this agreement and thus better understanding the impact it will have on the future of mobility in our great region.”
— Claude Villeneuve, leader of the official opposition in Quebec City
