Toronto-Quebec train project threatened by delays and Trudeau’s resignation

Canadians who hoped that the train project between Toronto and Quebec would move forward this year will instead see new delays. Indeed, the prospect of a federal election makes the calendar more uncertain than ever.

Late last year, the federal government requested an extension of tenders for the construction of the rail corridor, which could push back the selection of a private partner by several months, beyond the deadline initial set at the end of 2024.

This postponement constitutes a setback for a project which should extend over more than a decade. Some observers fear that the entire project will be called into question by a possible change of government as the departure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approaches.

Selecting a consortium to lead the project during its planning and construction phases – and to provide operation and maintenance thereafter – is a key step in the process. The Federal Ministry of Transport had said that the name of the successful contractor, who would be called upon to design, build and operate the tracks, was to be announced by the end of autumn 2024.

Everyone I know who is involved in the rail industry is waiting with bated breath because they thought this announcement would come in early Decembersaid Terry Johnsonpresident of the passenger advocacy group Transport Action Canada.

In 2021, the federal Liberals presented plans for a new rail corridor with stops in Toronto, Peterboroughin Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Quebec. At the time, Ottawa estimated the cost between $6 and $12 billion.

The goal was to carry more passengers faster and more often than VIA Rail’s delay-plagued trains, whose aging fleet runs on tracks largely owned by Canadian National Railway Company ( CN), which gives priority to freight trains.

M. Johnson There is also concern that delaying the schedule will make it easier for new leaders in Ottawa to abandon the project altogether. Last Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would resign after the Liberal leadership race and prorogued Parliament until March 24. His replacement will be the subject of a vote of confidence which could bring down the government, trigger elections and lead to a conservative tidal wave.

Any change in government will almost certainly result in a process of re-examining everything the previous government did before, either confirming it or changing it in some wayMs. stressed. Johnson.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s office did not directly respond to questions about his support for this project.

After almost a decade of Liberal government under Justin Trudeau, there is no high-frequency train project to speak of. It doesn’t existwrote the Conservative Party transport spokesperson in an email, Philip Lawrence.

Pierre Barrieau, who teaches transportation and urban planning at the University of Montreal, says the competing proposals include complex plans that require in-depth analysis and that the delays of several months for this megaproject should not surprise the public.

The three offers are fundamentally not about the same thing. One could have said: “I’m building a tunnel here”, the other would make a diversion to another place. One might say “250 kilometers per hour”, the other might say “375”.

The three consortia selected to submit proposals are: 1- Cadence, which includes AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin) and Air Canada; 2- Intercity Rail Developerswhich includes DF Canada Infrastructure Group Montreal billionaire André Desmarais; 3- QConnection Rail Partnerswhich includes WSP Canada.

No contract awarded

The call for tenders asked each of the three groups to submit two offers: one for a conventional rail network where trains would travel at 200 km/h (the current limit is around 160 km/h) and the another for a high-speed rail corridor.

It’s really difficult to compare a Hyundai Tucson to a Porschedeclared Mr. Barrieau, adding that this type of delay, although undesirable, is normal for a project of this scale.

Megaprojects are always late. All megaprojects almost always have cost overrunshe said.

The office of Federal Transport Minister Anita Anand has acknowledged that the extensions are the standardthe possibility being included in the request for proposals.

No contract has been awarded to a consortium for the Quebec-Toronto corridor rail project. I look forward to sharing more information when the time comeswrote Ms. Anand by email.

The delayed announcement follows previous delays as well as numerous failed high-speed rail projects in recent decades.

The federal government slowed down the fast passenger rail schedule in July 2023, when then-Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said he hoped the line would be in service by the mid-2030s instead. only at the start of the decade, as he had previously planned.

The corridor between Toronto and Quebec would pass through an almost entirely new railway line on land that is largely owned by the two Canadian railway giants, the CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.

It could require hundreds of millions of dollars just to build underground passages since the lines could not accommodate road crossings, according to Transport Canada. Other infrastructure, such as fencing, would also be required, in addition to the buy-in of a multitude of local and provincial authorities.

Martin Imbleau, who is leading this project, predicted that the corridor would accommodate 17 million passengers per year by mid-century.