2023-10-26 20:32:55
Federal Liberal Minister Jean-Yves Duclos welcomed the the motion to support the Quebec tramway voted on Tuesday, unanimously, by the four parties represented in the National Assembly.
“Governments, including the government of Quebec, have an interest in giving clear signals in support of the modern transportation project in the Quebec region. The good news is that the National Assembly did it once more, a few days ago, unanimously,” said Mr. Duclos, Thursday followingnoon, on the sidelines of a press briefing.
According to him, “it’s a very good thing. Besides, this is not surprising because all parties in the National Assembly are in favor [du tramway] and Mr. Legault, on several occasions, showed leadership by openly recalling this.”
Public funding well received
On the other hand, Jean-Yves Duclos welcomes the idea of greater participation of the public sector in the tram financing process.
“There is the use of economic and financial tools that governments have at their disposal and to which the private sector has less access. This is what happened with REM [à Montréal], he recalled. The Caisse de dépôt was behind. The Canada Infrastructure Bank was behind it. The REM project had access to affordable financing terms that were preferable to those that the private sector might have had if it had been left alone.”
According to him, “all avenues must be considered” to reduce tram costs. However, a possible involvement of the Canada Infrastructure Bank would require the Legault government to request it beforehand, he said.
Deficit of transport companies
On the other hand, on the subject of financing the deficits of public transport companies in Quebec, the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, was questioned, Thursday, regarding the sums granted by the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, and which are deemed insufficient by the Cities.
Mr. Girard said that public transportation is important. “This is Ms. Guilbault’s file and I am here to support it. There will be an update on November 7. I’ve already had the opportunity to mention what the priorities for the update would be. I was quite explicit.”
Minister Girard recalled that the Quebec government can always do more, but that it manages taxpayers’ money. “The demands are many, many, many times our capacity. That’s why we have to make choices.”
With the collaboration of Stéphanie Martin
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