Part Of The Rem De L Est Project In Downtown Montreal Was Abandoned

Dissatisfaction with the REM de l’Est project proposed by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec prompted the two government leaders to announce that the section of the line that was supposed to pass through the core of downtown Montreal above ground , will be abandoned due to lack of social acceptance. The eastern part of REM will be developed only in the parts that already have wide public support and the city of Montreal and the province will take over the project. “From day one, our goal was to achieve the best possible public transport project in the eastern part of the greater Montreal area,” Legault said in a press release on Monday. “The project has evolved over time and must continue to evolve. We are making the necessary adjustments to fulfill our commitment to build REM de l’Est.” REM de l’Est will thus be connected to the metro, a decision that means the project no longer fits into the financial structure of Caisse’s CDPQ Infra subsidiary. The project will therefore be managed by a team consisting of the Quebec Ministry of Transport, the City of Montreal and the Société de Transport in collaboration with the ARTM (Autorité régionale de transport metropolitain) transit planning team. Community groups and citizens have expressed concern about how the railroad would change downtown Montreal and landmarks, such as the arched entry point to Chinatown. ARTM issued a report in February stating that the line would not be worth the $ 10 billion price tag based on East End passenger habits. “We are taking the necessary steps to carry out the REM de l’Est in an exemplary manner, as requested by citizens and experts,” Plante said. “The guidelines agreed by the City of Montreal and the Government of Quebec will enable Eastern REM to provide a structural transport link to under-served sectors, while leveraging the existing network.” The CDPQ said in a statement Monday that it was seeking compensation from the government for “detailed technical studies” carried out on the project, under the terms of their agreement.