The original developer, CDPQ Infra – a subsidiary of Quebec’s Queisse de dépôt et placement du Québec’s pension fund manager – is now down. Legault and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante made the announcement at a news conference Monday. Legault said the plan for the slopes did not gain “social acceptance”. The province will also explore other important changes. Without the raised platforms, the project, which had an initial cost of $ 10 billion, is no longer viable for CDPQ Infra, the prime minister said. He also added that he understands why the developer would no longer want to move on. It is not yet clear how these significant changes will affect the price and timing of the project. The REM de l’Est is supposed to be completed for the first time in 2029. “People who know me know that I do not have much patience and I want this project to be completed as soon as possible,” Legault said. “It’s vital to the development of the eastern tip of Montreal.” CLOCKS The Prime Minister of Quebec explains why the province is intervening:

Legault explains why the province and the city undertake the REM de l’Est project

The Quebec prime minister says he is confident his government and the city of Montreal can create a viable version of the project following the departure of CDPQ Infra. 0:57
On Monday, Plante described the original plan for the construction of elevated tracks in the eastern part of the city center as a “historic mistake that must have been avoided.” Plante’s concerns were echoed by a report by an expert advisory committee, which said the raised platforms would cause eye pain and “break” the urban landscape. There have also been concerns that it will erode the quality of life in nearby neighborhoods, including the historic city of Chinatown. Experts and officials have expressed concern that the proposed REM de l’Est design, with its raised platforms, would divide neighborhoods and make some areas less accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. (CDPQ Infra)
The mayor of Montreal has long pushed the city to have a heavier hand in shaping the public transport project. Moving forward, the main partners working with the county will be the Montreal Regional Transit Planning Service (ARTM), the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), the City of Montreal and its Department of Transportation. province. The project had already been suspended after CDPQ Infra tried to delay public environmental hearings this spring. In a statement, a Quebec MNA Solidarity accused the Legault government of being incompetent in public transport matters. “The government will complete its mandate with chaos and without delivering anything specific to the eastern end of Montreal on transit issues,” said Alexandre Leduc, who represents the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve rider. The REM de l’Est was originally planned to include 23 stations along a 32-kilometer route from the center to the eastern neighborhoods of Pointe-aux-Trembles and Montréal-Nord, which had not been served for a long time. public transport, through a mixture of underground tunnels and elevated paths.

“Connecting to the center is the key”

The Prime Minister described four possible changes that he wants the partners to explore:

Better integration of REM de l’Est with the Green Metro Line. Expansion of the project to serve the municipalities in the Lanaudière area. Study of the possibility of building stations in the eastern part of Laval. Ensure the “harmonious integration” of the project in the Mercier-Est neighborhood, where the Souligny station would be constructed.

The REM de l’Est’s Green Line integration plan raises concerns about how easily residents of the far east will be able to reach the city center. Asked if Monday’s announcement meant there would be no direct connection from the east end to the center’s core, Plante said she would be postponed to the new team of experts who will come up with a new plan. The REM de l’Est was Caisse’s second major public transport project. Its first REM project – which is expected to be operational by 2024 – will connect Trudeau International Airport and West Island to downtown Montreal and the South Coast. According to the Québec Solidaire MNA Alexandre Leduc, the Legault government is incompetent when it comes to public transport. (Ivanoh Demers / Radio Canada)
“It’s hard to believe that the South Coast and West Island will be directly connected to the city center and that the east of Montreal will not,” said Jean-Denis Charest, chief executive of the East End Chamber of Commerce. “If we really want the east, in 25, 35, 50 years, to be the area we think it can be, I think the connection to the city center is the key.” Charest said he understood the need for a change of government with the REM de l’Est, but stressed that the province would have to find a way to put the public transport system into operation within ten years.