MONTREAL — The Canadian government has announced more than Ca$1.1 billion in additional funding for Quebec City’s light rail project and extension of Montreal’s subway Blue Line.
The funding, announced Saturday, March 22, includes Ca$332.3 million for the Quebec City Tramway and more than Ca$650 million for the Metro Blue Line, as well as Ca$202.8 million to convert the Blue Line to communications-based train control from its current fixed-block train control system.
“We are committed to improving and expanding public transit infrastructure across Canada,” Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, minister of housing, infrastructure, and communities, said in a press release. “Close collaboration between federal, provincial and municipal governments is essential to achieving this goal.”
The Quebec City program, TramCité, is a 19-kilometer (11.8-mile), 29-station system operated with a hybrid of catenary and battery power. It includes approximately 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) underground and will have a fleet of 34 trainsets built by Alstom [see “Alstom to build light rail vehicles …,” Trains News Wire, April 25, 2023]. The federal government had previously committed more than Ca$1.1 billion in 2019.
“Quebec City remains the only city of comparable size in the country not yet to benefit from a modern public transit system,” said Jean-Yves Duclous, member of parliament for Quebec. “With the support of the Government of Canada, the TramCité project will rectify this situation. In addition to offering fast, reliable, comfortable and economical transportation, it will help reduce traffic congestion, stimulate new housing construction and create thousands of good jobs for the citizens of the Quebec City region.”
The Blue Line project will add five stations on a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) underground extension, along with related infrastructure and pedestrian connections, and two new bus terminals. The addition is scheduled to open in 2031. The federal government had previously committed Ca$1.3 billion in funding for the subway project.
Two livable, beautiful and super lucky Canadian railroad cities…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
A federal election is April 28… wonder if that has anything to do with the Liberal government trying to avoid a rout with unelected PM Mark Carney ex-Goldman Sachs and central banker.
If so, it seems to be working. Current 338Canada projection: 178 Liberal seats to 130 Conservative. And widening.