Canada and Quebec support the next step towards completion of the Anjou extension of Montréal Metro's Blue Line

MONTREAL, April 9, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize that there are many benefits to investing in public transit, including facilitating the flow of people and access to public services, growing the economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the governments of Canada and Quebec are announcing investments to prepare the business case and the elements necessary to move forward with the next step towards completion of the Anjou extension of Montréal Metro's Blue Line:

• The governments of Canada and Quebec will invest $16 million, respectively, to develop the business case for this project. The funding will be made available through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund.
• In addition, the Government of Quebec will invest close to $330 million.

These joint investments will make possible the following:

• Launch of the acquisition and expropriation process for all the required buildings;
• Technical specifications, and plans and specifications for specialized equipment;
• Launch of a call for interest regarding the choice of delivery method;
• Completion of a new project value analysis;
• An independent review of costs, risks and timeline;
• Set-up of the project office.

Once the business case has been completed, the information contained in it will allow for an even more precise analysis of the costs associated with completing the project and how those costs will be shared by the governments of Canada and Quebec. In addition, following the upcoming conclusion of the Quebec-Canada discussions on the next phase of the Investing in Canada Plan, the extension of the Montreal Metro Blue Line will be one of the projects prioritized by the Government of Quebec.

The extension of the Metro Blue Line to Anjou will strengthen public transit in Montréal by ensuring that it is more reliable, efficient and inclusive, thereby meeting the immediate needs of the community while preparing for increased ridership in the future. 

This announcement was made today by Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, in the company of the Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier and Chief Government Whip, Pablo Rodriguez, and the Quebec Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, André Fortin.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is investing in projects that contribute to building sustainable communities, while promoting economic development and the growth of the middle class. This key step leading to the extension of the Blue Line will help improve commuting, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the overall user experience, thus preparing the City of Montréal for future growth."

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

"Traffic congestion is costly and causes people to lose what they value most: time. Our goal is to make Quebec a North American leader in mobility. With the Blue Line extension, in addition to the Réseau électrique métropolitain rapid transit system, we are effectively addressing this problem by offering East Montréal residents a rapid, effective, modern and green solution for getting around their metropolitan area. Together, we are building a new Quebec, one that has the means to make a real difference in the quality of life of all Quebec residents."

Philippe Couillard, Premier of Quebec

"I am pleased to see that the patience of East Montréal residents is finally being rewarded and that the STM will be able to start the work quickly. The Blue Line extension will enable students, workers, families, seniors, in short, the entire population of East Montréal, to get around more quickly and efficiently. Our administration has made mobility a key priority, and I am happy to see that our vision is shared by our federal and provincial government partners. Montréal will finally have the chance to open new metro stations, a first since 1988!"

Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal

"We are very pleased to see that a new step has been taken towards completing the Blue Line extension, and we applaud the commitment of the governments of Quebec and Canada. This is a major step towards making this anticipated project a reality. As project champion, the STM is enthusiastic and ready to deploy its expertise and its knowledge to complete this large?scale project, which will positively affect the quality of service offered."

Luc Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer of the Société de transport de Montréal

Quick Facts

• Blue Line extension in numbers:
• 5 new stations (over 5.8 km) from the current station at Saint-Michel to Anjou;
• 1 pedestrian tunnel;
• 2 transit terminals;
• 1 underground park and ride area with 1,200 spots;
• 17,100 new Blue Line users.
• The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada's rural and northern communities. Federal infrastructure investments in Quebec: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/qc-eng.html
• Of that amount, $28.7 billion will be dedicated to public transit projects, including $5 billion that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• Under the first phase of the Investing in Canada Plan, Quebec was allocated over $924 million to upgrade and improve its public transit systems, through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, and more than $5 billion will be available under the next phase of the long-term plan.
• Up until now, the federal government has approved $1.7 billion in funding for more than 500 projects across the province through the Investing in Canada Plan.
• Over the next 10 years, the Government of Canada plans to invest, through the Québec Infrastructure Plan, more than $100.4 billion in education, health and transportation, in order to improve families' quality of life and create conditions that support innovation and economic growth.

Associated Links

• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html.
• Smart Cities Challenge: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cities-villes-eng.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng 
Website: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada