Ottawa to Spend $1B in Acquiring Historic Quebec Bridge From CN

Ottawa to Invest $1 Billion in Acquisition of Historic Quebec Bridge from CN

May 15, 2024 TruthUSA

Ottawa has reached an agreement with the Canadian National Railway (CN) to acquire the historic Quebec Bridge and allocate $40 million annually over 25 years for its rehabilitation.

Prime Minister Trudeau, speaking from Quebec City on May 15, confirmed earlier reports that the federal government had struck a deal with CN.

“Today, we are announcing an agreement with the Canadian National Railway, the current owner of the Quebec bridge, to repatriate this essential and historic infrastructure to the federal government and support its long-term viability,” Mr. Trudeau stated.

The Quebec Bridge, privatized in 1993, has connected the banks of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis, Quebec, for over a century. Built in 1917, it accommodates approximately 33,000 vehicle crossings daily and about 1,000 pedestrian and cyclist crossings during warmer months. It remains the longest span cantilever bridge ever constructed, with a total length of 987 meters.

“The Québec Bridge is an engineering marvel in our country. By bringing back the ownership of the bridge, we are not only ensuring the sustainability of this crucial infrastructure for the region, but also returning control to the people of Quebec,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of public services and procurement, in a statement.

The federal government had expressed its intention to acquire the bridge as far back as 2019, and the move was part of the Liberal Party platform during the 2021 election.

Related Stories

Guilbeault Tells MPs ‘No More Roads’ Comment Was Misinterpreted

Premiers Criticize Environment Minister’s Remark on Halting New Road Investments

Although Ottawa will own the bridge, the agreement stipulates that CN and the Quebec government will maintain responsibility and ownership of the rails and roadway on the bridge.

The Quebec Bridge is one of two permanent links between Quebec City and Levis, with a third link, a tunnel project, originally supported by the ruling Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government.

Despite governmental support, the tunnel project has not materialized. Critics argue that there is insufficient traffic to justify the project and that there would be adverse environmental effects, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2023, CBC Radio Canada reported that the Quebec Ministry of Transport had commissioned a study to make a proposed third link exclusive to public transit, but no progress has been made on the project.

Source link