public transit

Mayoral hopeful Hamad proposes SRB transit plan rejected by Caisse

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Mayoral hopeful Hamad proposes SRB transit plan rejected by Caisse

Peter Black

peterblack@qctonline.com

Mayoral candidate Sam Hamad has unveiled his promised alternative to the tramway plan. It is based on the service rapide par bus (SRB+) plan initially proposed in 2015 but subsequently rejected.

Hamad, a former Liberal provincial transport minister and engineer by profession, revealed details of SRB+, which he acknowledged was not a fully fleshed out proposal, at a June 18 news conference at a hotel on Boul. Laurier.

Hamad, vowing that the tramway would be dead if he and his Leadership Québec team win on Nov. 2, said his plan would be less disruptive to build, cost much less and provide greater service to the suburbs.

The key difference from the current tramway plan is the mode – a train of elongated buses in dedicated lanes instead of rail cars running on tracks – and the central trajectory – Boul. Charest between Université Laval and Saint- Roch, as opposed to Boul. René- Lévesque.

As a prelude to Hamad’s presentation, Daniel Lessard, former longtime head of engineering services for the city, gave an overview of transit plans dating back to 2015 under the administration of then- mayor Régis Labeaume.

Lessard concluded, “For over 25 years, I have planned and managed this city’s infrastructure. The SRB+ is the most realistic, technically robust and quickly deliverable project to meet the mobility needs of Quebec City residents.”

Hamad said the project, based on reams of previous studies, creating 29 kilometres of SRB lanes serving the Lebourgneuf, Charlesbourg, D’Estimauville and Le Gendre sectors, could get underway by 2029 and be completed in two years, at a cost of $4.2 billion.

He said, “It’s time to turn the page on the uncertainties sur- rounding the tramway and move forward with a realistic, credible project that’s resolutely forward-looking and based on the best available technical recommendations. This project is the modern, sustainable and immediate solution that Quebec needs.”

A plan for an SRB system running along Boul. Charest had been proposed in 2015 by the Labeaume administration, partly to accommodate the demands of the city of Lévis. At the time, Hamad was a minister in then-premier Philippe Couillard’s cabinet, responsible for the capital region.

When Lévis changed its mind about the project, as Labeaume recounted in his recent memoirs, Quebec City also abandoned the plan. In 2018, the city presented the first edition of the tramway plan, and quickly won support and a funding commitment from the federal government.

Since then, delays and associated mounting costs prompted the Quebec government to commission the Caisse de depot et placement infrastructure division (CDPQ Infra) to study the region’s transport needs and offer solutions.

In June 2024, that study was released containing the recommendation to build a scaled- down tramway system, with the central corridor running along Boul. René-Lévesque. The study rejected an SRB system as providing inadequate capacity for future needs, but did include the mode for subsidiary routes.

Whereas a key element of the tramway system is the complete electrification of the rolling stock, Hamad said the SRB system would not be powered by diesel, but when a call for tenders is made, “we’ll see what technology there is that responds to what we need. So hybrid (gasoline-electric) would be a good choice.”

He named several cities in the world that have electric SRB systems.

As for how he plans to convince the Quebec government that has committed to funding 50 per cent of the tramway to support his plan, Hamad said, “In my experience, usually the [Quebec] government responds to the mayor who is elected by the people.”

He said his plan’s $4.2-billion budget is half that of the current system, and given the government’s current financial situation, “This is an advantage for us.”

Mayoral hopeful Hamad proposes SRB transit plan rejected by Caisse Read More »

Critics slam Hamad’s transit plan as obsolete

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Critics slam Hamad’s transit plan as obsolete

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Leadership Québec mayoral candidate Sam Hamad denies the coming election will be a referendum on the choice of transit system for the city.

Yet, given his vow to kill the current tramway system and replace it with one based on rapid bus service (SRB), transit is bound to be the central issue of the campaign.

A recent Segma poll showed Mayor Bruno Marchand leading Hamad by six points (38 per cent to 32 per cent) before Hamad released his transit plan last week. The poll also found nearly 30 per cent undecided, so the race for City Hall likely will be a battle to convince voters who has the better plan.

Hence, a day after Hamad unveiled his plan, Marchand delivered a harsh rebuke at a City Hall news conference. Marchand said Hamad’s proposal is “purely a political game. There are no facts, no science, no data to demonstrate that his project – without integration with a major axis – is relevant.”

Calling it a plan drawn up by “volunteers,” Marchand said it would do nothing to reduce the congestion problem in the most heavily populated corridor of the city, along Boul. René-Lévesque.

“We’re talking about Mr. Hamad’s feelings versus 20 years of studies, consultations, science and facts,” the mayor said.

“Do we want another election in Quebec City driven by nostalgia, a return to the past, the dream of 2015? I think the people of Quebec City are fed up,” Marchand said.

Opposition and Québec d’Abord Leader Claude Ville- neuve told reporters, “Who re- ally believes that Sam Hamad can deliver a mobility project? How many mobility projects have progressed in Quebec while Sam Hamad was minister of transport? How many in Quebec City? You know the answer: zero.”

Transition Québec Leader and Limoilou Coun. Jackie Smith said she “feels like [she’s] watching a bad comedy” with Hamad’s transit announcement.

“I don’t think what people want is to resume the debate where it was more than 10 years ago, when the idea Mr. Hamad is bringing back was rejected. The [CDPQ Infra] plan already includes the passage of an SRB on Boul. Charest; Mr. Hamad simply wants to start the plan backwards. The heart of the network congestion problem is on Parliament Hill and that’s what we’re tackling first with the deployment of the first phase of the tramway.”

Nora Loreto, co-founder and spokesperson for the pro- tramway citizens group Québec Désire Son Tramway, told the QCT Hamad’s proposal “shows that he’s got no clue about the growth of the city and the planned growth over the next 20 years. Seeing that he wants to push all the traffic onto Charest and leave the status quo in Upper Town is just not an option because at the end of the day the blockage for the traffic [stays] in Upper Town.”

Loreto said, “There’s a reason why all of the experts have not recommended this plan, and we think that it would be very prudent for Mr. Hamad, in an area where he is clearly lacking some knowledge and expertise, to listen to the experts on this one.”

Hamad’s plan did garner the support of Stevens Melançon, leader of Équipe Priorité Québec, who is reported to be considering joining Hamad’s team. He told Le Soleil, “I defend the citizen; I defend a project that respects the citizens’ ability to pay and that will serve my citizens.”

As for Marchand’s dismissal of Hamad’s plan, Melançon said, “I find it hard to understand why the mayor, whose project is not socially acceptable, is lecturing people.”

Critics slam Hamad’s transit plan as obsolete Read More »

Threat of transit strikes looms over FEQ

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Threat of transit strikes looms over FEQ

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The union representing maintenance staff at the Réseau du Transport de la Capitale (RTC), Quebec City’s public transport network, has formally raised the possibility of a transit strike during the Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ).

On June 19, the union announced in a statement that it had submitted a strike notice for a 10-day work stoppage beginning July 4, the first day of the festival.

The collective agreement between the bus maintenance workers’ union – the Syndicat des salariés et salariées d’entretien du RTC–CSN – and the city expired in September 2024; negotiations for a new agreement began in October, according to the union.

“The goal is not to strike at all costs, but to apply pressure on the eve of the busiest time of year to quickly reach a settlement that is satisfactory to both parties,” explained union president Nicolas Louazel.

Frédéric Brun is the president of the Fédération des employées et employés des services publics (FEESP), a division of the CSN union federation, of which the RTC maintenance workers’ union is a member. He and Louazel struck a reassuring tone regarding the likelihood of a strike.

“The parties are entering into an intensive negotiation blitz – day, evening, night, weekend – and experience tells us that it is entirely possible to reach a settlement quickly,” Brun said. “The concrete threat of a strike during FEQ is only an incentive to prevent the employer from falling back into its habit of marking time and dragging things out.”

The union had previously submitted a notice for a one- day strike planned for April 30, which was cancelled on April 25 after progress at the negotiating table.

The last time RTC transit service was halted was in July 2023, when the Syndicat des employés du transport public de Québec métropolitaine (SETPQM), the union which represents the RTC’s more than 900 drivers, went on strike. That strike ended with an agreement on July 6 – five days after it had begun and hours before the beginning of FEQ. No service was offered during that strike, after a labour tribunal ruled that transit was not an essential service, angering advocates for low-wage workers and people with disabilities who depend on the service.

RTC spokesperson Raphaëlle Savard said 13,000 people use the RTC every day during FEQ. She said the RTC had twice requested that the union “agree on a minimal level of service to offer in the event of a strike.”

“This request aims to limit the impact on regular RTC customers, many of whom rely on public transport to get around, as well as on occasional customers who use RTC services to get to FEQ,” she said.

“The RTC acknowledges the strike notice and will communicate the impacts on service delivery as quickly as possible to provide maximum predictability to its customers. The RTC reiterates its availability to negotiate at any time, including weekends, to reach an agree- ment and avoid any impact on customers,” Savard said. She invited people with questions about bus service to visit the RTC website or call customer service at 418-627-2511, option 1.

The union said in a state- ment that it would make no further comment for the time being, “in order to concentrate on the negotiations.”

Separately, the union representing personnel operating and maintaining the Québec- Lévis and Matane-Godbout ferries, also a CSN affiliate, gave notice for a strike beginning July 4. Members of the ferry operators’ union, which negotiates directly with the Treasury Board, have been without an agreement since April 2023. “The lack of serious progress at our negotiating table has made us understand more than once that for the government, we are not among its priorities,” said union president Patrick Saint-Laurent.

Threat of transit strikes looms over FEQ Read More »

Bus passenger island will put people at risk, safety expert says

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Bus passenger island will put people at risk, safety expert says

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

A traffic safety expert and former city councillor is sounding the alarm about a bus stop island now under construction on Chemin Ste-Foy at the intersection with Ave. Brown.

Paul Mackey has been picketing the site almost daily since April 28, when city workers began building a “boarding bay” or quai d’embarquement pour les arrêts d’autobus, as it’s known in French.

According to a city presentation on the project, the objectives of the “boarding bays” are to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, maintain universal accessibility to bus stops, limit conflicts between cyclists and buses by avoiding encroachment into the bike lane, and limit conflicts between buses and vehicular traffic when merging and disengaging while stopped.

Mackey told the QCT in an on- site interview that the structures violate safety norms and put at risk students, senior citizens and people with visual impairments wanting to cross the street.

“The project itself has some good objectives,” Mackey said. “It’s to not have cyclists have to wait behind stopped buses. The project is to transfer the bus stop onto an island between the bike lane and the traffic lane. But that raises a number of issues.”

Among those issues, he said, is that “cyclists approaching the intersection will not see the pedestrians, because the stopped articulated bus will block sight lines.” He said cyclists often do not follow traffic signals and may run the red light, putting elementary school students crossing from École Anne-Hébert, for example, at risk.

Mackey said visually impaired people wanting to cross at the intersection will also be at risk. At an information session on the project held on April 22, he asked city officials whether “a blind person on the bus going west and heading to École Anne-Hébert would have to cross the bike path when getting off the bus and recross the bike path at the intersection. The answer was yes. The blind person will be put at risk twice within a short time. There are no tactile warning strips to be installed at the intersection itself.”

He said the association for the blind in Victoria, B.C. sued over a similar boarding island design and won, resulting in a moratorium.

Mackey said he has also raised concerns about the width of the boarding islands, which is 1.6 metres under the city’s plans. He said the standard, according to many sources and guides, is 2.4 metres. The lesser width, he said, poses a hazard for the boarding of passengers in wheelchairs.

With construction well advanced on the installation, Mackey said the city shows no indication of recognizing his warnings and suggestions. “I think the consequences are so serious that there’s not really any choice” for the city to make changes.

“The city council says, ‘well, it’s a pilot project, we’ll adjust as we go along,’ and I said that’s not really an appropriate response, because you’ll make changes if there have been incidents – and we don’t want incidents.”

Once the island on the north side of the intersection is complete, an island is to be installed on the south side. Eventually, the city plans to install islands at several other intersections along the Chemin Ste-Foy bike path.

The city said in its presentation that it chose the Ave. Brown intersection for the pilot project because of the “ease of implementation [and the] opportunity to secure an area with high traffic of vulnerable users (school zone). The project was developed by city teams, in collaboration with the Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC) and the consultation table on universal accessibility.”

A series of consultations and assessments is planned to evaluate the impact of the pilot project.

Mackey said, “There’s tons of problems with this project, and if it stays in effect, it’s going to be a safety problem for years on end.”

The QCT requested a response to Mackey’s concerns from city officials and did not receive a response by press time.

Bus passenger island will put people at risk, safety expert says Read More »

TRAM TRACKER: Federal support for tramway in hands of voters

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TRAM TRACKER: Federal support for tramway in hands of voters

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The fate of Quebec City’s tramway project is at stake in the April 28 federal election.

With the choice of the next federal government, between the Liberal Party of Canada, which supports the project, and the Conservative Party of Canada, which opposes it, in essence, the voters of Canada will decide whether Quebec’s capital gets a structured urban transit system.

It’s uncertain whether the $7.6-billion project could proceed in its current form without federal funding. The federal government under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, and now current Prime Minister Mark Carney, has committed a total of $1.4 billion to the project, an initial $1.1 billion in 2019 and an ad- ditional $332 million in early March.

The city would like Ottawa to top that up to reach 40 per cent of the cost, the same as what the Coalition Avenir Québec government has promised.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, however, has been adamant about not putting “one cent” of federal money into the tramway. Further, he would take the money already committed and put it towards the Quebec government’s plan to build a third bridge over the St. Lawrence River.

At a March 26 rally in Quebec City, Poilievre repeated his vow “to end the war on cars.”

He took a shot at the position on urban transit taken by Carney and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet. “The Bloc and the Liberals refuse to build a third link – an important project for mobility and the economy of the greater Quebec City region. Worse still, Carney and Blanchet want to impose a tramway on the people of Quebec City – a project that the people of Quebec City reject.”

Poilievre said, “The tramway – it’s a white elephant worth over $7 billion, an unaffordable project, a project that the people of Quebec City don’t want. As prime minister, I will respect your wishes [and] refuse to waste your taxes on this unpopular project. The people of Quebec City need their trucks to get to work, to drive their children to the arena. That’s why I’m going to invest the federal money earmarked for the tramway in a third link.”

The two Conservative MPs in the central Quebec City ridings, Poilievre’s Quebec lieutenant and Charlesbourg– Haute-Saint-Charles MP Pierre Paul-Hus and Louis–Saint– Laurent–Akiawenhrahk MP Gérard Deltell, met Mayor Bruno Marchand last month before the launch of the election campaign. According to the mayor’s office, Poilievre has yet to meet with Marchand.

On the same day as Poilievre’s visit to the Quebec capital, Jean-Yves Duclos, the Liberal MP for the downtown riding of Québec-Centre, issued an open letter denouncing the Conservative leader’s policies for the city, particularly the tramway.

“The Conservative leader wants to steal our money and send it elsewhere in the country, like to his hometown of Calgary – where he proudly celebrates the Canadian government’s investments in public transit that reduce congestion and create housing and good jobs,” wrote Duclos, who is running for a fourth term.

Duclos said, “Pierre Poilievre talks about ‘responsible government,’ yet he is prepared to blindly fund a third link project whose route, de- sign or budget are unknown.”

Duclos recalled, “In September 2010, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives pulled this trick on us. They disguised themselves as Nordiques players wearing hockey jerseys to promise to fund the Videotron Centre. A few months later, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives broke their promise by not contributing a single cent to the centre, leaving Quebec City and the Quebec government to shoulder the entire bill.”

Carney, when he visited Quebec City in January as part of his Liberal leadership campaign, declared his support for the tramway as the kind of infrastructure investment needed in a time of economic crisis.

Simon Bérubé, the Bloc candidate in Québec-Centre, said in an interview with the QCT, regarding the Conserva- tive position on the tramway, “We’re against any interference from the federal government into the decisions of the city of Quebec and the government of Quebec. The project is quite underway, it’s ready to go, so we’re asking that, without any interference, that 40 per cent of the cost will be guaranteed by the federal government.”

Bérubé said the project will bring a lot of investments in the riding, through stimulation of housing developments, for example.

Asked what would happen to the tramway project in the event of Quebec declaring sovereignty should the Parti Québécois win the next election and a promised referendum, Bérubé said the federal money committed to the tramway “belongs to Quebecers who sent it to Ottawa through all kinds of taxes.”

TRAM TRACKER: Federal support for tramway in hands of voters Read More »

Anger at City Hall as CAQ nixes transit projects

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Anger at City Hall as CAQ nixes transit projects

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) govern- ment has quietly killed or postponed indefinitely at least four major traffic improvement projects in Quebec City, valued at some $2.5 billion.

The moves provoked a storm of reaction at City Hall and the National Assembly, with calls for Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault and Minister for the Capital Region Jonatan Julien to be held accountable.

The iced projects are the creation of reserved traffic lanes in the suburbs, a component of the overall tramway plan; the next phase of the reconfiguration of the “spaghetti” of access ramps to the Pierre-Laporte and Quebec bridges; the long-awaited overpass to relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of Boul. Lebourgneuf and Autoroute Robert-Bourassa; and the garage for the city’s new fleet of electric buses on Ave. Newton, which is already under construction.

In the wake of the revelations, Guilbault, claiming a communications error, said the Lebourgneuf overpass project would be reconsidered.

The cancellation of the reserved lanes first came to light when journalists took a close look at documents about infrastructure spending released as part of Finance Minister Eric Girard’s big-deficit budget on March 25.

The 104 kilometres worth of reserved bus lanes had been included in the CAQ government’s global plan for transit in the Quebec City region. At an estimated cost of some $850 million, the lanes would have been introduced on autoroutes Henri-IV, Robert- Bourassa, Laurentienne and Félix-Leclerc.

The Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC) reacted by way of a news release, saying it had not been informed of the change before the tabling of the budget.

The cancellation of the massive Newton garage project, under construction on the site of the former Simons distribution centre, caused the city to convene a news conference on April 3 to denounce the move, which the government said was due to the high cost, estimated at $647 million. Instead, the transport ministry is recommending a large shelter for the fleet of 180 electric buses the city was planning on acquiring.

Nicolas Girard, director general of the RTC, said, “It should be remembered that the Newton Centre project stems from the government’s decision to finance only the purchase of electric buses by public transit companies starting in 2025. In line with these government guidelines, the RTC is committed to carrying out this project, respecting all the required steps. The authorizations obtained to date have led us to spend several million, significant investments that have now been abandoned.”

According to the RTC, $94 million of the $146 million already approved for the project has been spent. Liberal MP Jean-Yves Duclos, speaking at an unrelated news conference April 4, said he wants to know what is happening to the $203 million Ottawa has committed to the Newton garage project. “In December 2024, the provincial government confirmed the federal grant to the RTC. We’re in a state of uncertainty.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand, who had not been officially informed of any of the CAQ government cuts to city projects, told reporters, “It’s been a hard week for Quebec City.”

The mayor said, “Planning a city, planning transportation and mobility can’t be done in the short term. You can’t plan for one month, two months, or three months. These are projects that take years to build, years to think about, design and then implement.”

Opposition and Québec d’abord Leader Claude Villeneuve said, “We talk to all the MNAs in the region, including the CAQ MNAs – and no one tells us the same thing. They don’t know what they’re doing.”

Transition Québec Leader and Limoilou Coun. Jackie Smith, calling the CAQ “une gang de colons” (a bunch of morons), said, “They take us for idiots. The CAQ doesn’t respect the intelligence of the people of Quebec.”

At the National Assembly, Parti Québécois MNA for Jean-Talon Pascal Paradis said, “What a pathetic week for transportation and sustain- able mobility in the Capitale- Nationale region.”

Liberal interim leader Marc Tanguay said at a National Assembly news briefing, “They’re out of money, so the garage has been shut down. François Legault, to the garage! The CAQ, to the garage; let’s put them in the garage.”

In various media reports, Guilbault defended the CAQ government’s actions, saying it had committed large amounts in the Quebec City region to such projects as the new bridge for Île d’Orléans and the pro- posed “third link,” a new bridge across the St. Lawrence River.

Anger at City Hall as CAQ nixes transit projects Read More »

Protesters contest possible privatization of adapted transport in Montreal

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Hundreds gathered to protest the potential privatization of the STM’s paratransit minibus service on Feb. 17. Photo Ivan Baron

Brendan Schwartz,
Local Journalism Initiative

Residents express concern about the STM’s new balanced budget plan for 2025

Hundreds of people gathered outside Montreal City Hall on Feb. 17 during a municipal meeting to protest the privatization of the Société de transport de Montréal’s (STM) paratransit minibus service.

Protesters waved union flags and played loud music throughout the evening, while some provided others with hand warmers to help against the cold temperatures, strong winds and snow.

The protest came in response to the STM’s decision to privatize its paratransit service. The move is part of the STM’s strategy to cut costs and have a balanced budget in 2025, its first balanced budget since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the STM, the quality of service and the cost of paratransit will remain the same. However, the president of the Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (SCFP) Frédéric Therrien argues that such a move is impossible.

“The mayor of Montreal says that she doesn’t have money, but she made [public transit] free for seniors, which costs the city $40 million per year, but the [paratransit service] costs only $15 million,” he said. “Ultimately, if it becomes private, it’s going to be the population that will get the bill. There’s no working for free.”

As a paratransit user for over 15 years, Sylvia Martin said she’s concerned about how the quality of service will be affected if the paratransit service becomes privatized.

“These drivers are not just ordinary people,” Martin said. “They help you get in the bus, get out and help you with your seatbelt. They do everything for you and I don’t know how a private company can hire somebody just as special as them for little to no cost.”

Protester William Ayotte said he’d like to see everybody working together to help solve the problem and find solutions for the community, but that instead, things seem to be moving backwards.

“Whenever we see new policies for public transport, it always comes with a reduction of services, and it’s time that we stop this,” Ayotte said.

Therrien is calling on the City of Montreal to provide more funding for public transport, which he said is a necessity in today’s society.

“It’s up to the population to stand up and tell the mayor, tell the government to invest heavily in public transport,” Therrien said. “It’s time to take things into our own hands.”

Meanwhile, Martin said she plans to contact the STM to get her voice heard if the paratransit service begins charging a fee.

“I’m a senior and I can pay a couple dollars, but certainly not a taxi fare,” Martin said. “Somebody has to pay them, but I can’t afford that.”
 

Protesters contest possible privatization of adapted transport in Montreal Read More »

Deux-Montagnes Holds First Municipal Council Meeting of 2025: Key Discussions on Waste Management, Property Evaluations, and Upcoming Infrastructure Projects

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Dylan Adams Lemaçon, LJI Reporter

The first municipal council meeting of the year was held on January 16, 2025, at the city hall building on Chemin d’Oka. The meeting, attended by over a dozen local residents, was presided over by Mayor Denis Martin and the members of the municipal council. As the town moves into 2025, the council addressed several issues on the agenda while providing updates on ongoing projects.

The session began with Mayor Martin wishing the public a happy new year, marking the start of the first meeting of the year. The council swiftly proceeded to review the order of the day, which included the adoption of new municipal regulations. The mayor mentioned that all the proposed resolutions were being approved without any significant objections so far.

Some of the notable discussions involved updates regarding the REM (Réseau express métropolitain), a major transportation project. The mayor also spoke about the inconveniences caused by delays in the distribution of waste collection calendars, which were affected by the strike at Canada Post. Mayor Martin explained that the city has also partnered with a new waste management company, which may have contributed to some of the slight inconveniences. Mayor Martin acknowledged the issue and apologized while stating that it should all be sorted out soon enough.

The topic of property evaluations was also brought up, with the mayor emphasizing that the municipal council has no authority to intervene in property evaluation matters, despite the ongoing discussions about increased property values and their impact on taxes.

During the public question period, a couple concerns were raised by residents. Andrew Brown, a local, inquired about the future of the Roger-Lemoine Boisé area that is at risk of being damaged by a potential new parking lot . He wanted to know what is happening to this forested sector. In response, the mayor expressed his commitment to protecting the area and explained that there were previous parking agreements in place before the REM project came to fruition. Now they are negotiating with REM for additional parking spaces which would not affect the forest area .

Another question from Brown concerned a new housing development behind his property. He joked about how a new number of people would now be able to look down and have a great view of his property due to the new project. The mayor directed him to the appropriate municipal departments for more information on the development and its impact on the surrounding area.

Brown also asked about a potential project with EXO, related to the introduction of electric buses in the area. The mayor clarified that the project is still under consideration, with ongoing discussions about the availability of garages for charging the buses.

Another resident, Nicholas Proulx, raised concerns about the ice rink in the town, asking for more maintenance to ensure the rink remains usable. He mentioned that he often travels to Rosemère to use their rink due to the lack of consistent availability in Deux-Montagnes. The mayor acknowledged the issue and explained that the town is in the process of building a proper cement foundation to support an ice rink. However, as the project is estimated to cost nearly one million dollars, it is still under serious discussion.

As the meeting concluded, Mayor Martin and the council members expressed their ongoing commitment to improving services, while navigating the challenges of property evaluations, transportation infrastructure, and recreational facilities. 

The next town hall session will be scheduled for February 13, 2025, where further updates on infrastructure projects and community concerns are expected to be discussed.

Deux-Montagnes Holds First Municipal Council Meeting of 2025: Key Discussions on Waste Management, Property Evaluations, and Upcoming Infrastructure Projects Read More »

Legault’s failure to protect public transit: Quebec’s resistance to fund public transit is detrimental for riders and climate

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

Bus stops have longer wait times caused by public transit issues. Graphic Olivia Shan

Genevieve Sylvestre
Local Journalism Initiative

Every day, I leave my apartment in the freezing cold to queue up and take a bus, followed by the metro, followed by another bus, or, God forbid, the Concordia shuttle. The problem: as I approach my bus stop, I notice the line is unusually long on a daily basis.

The bus I was supposed to take is late, as are all the ones after it, which seems to be the new norm. Instead of a bus passing every five minutes, three to four busses pass every fifteen to twenty minutes, and they are all filled to the brim with passengers.

If this sounds all too familiar, it’s not just you. According to data from the Sociéte de Transport de Montréal (STM), around a quarter of all buses are late. On average, only 78.3 per cent of all buses were on time in 2023 so far, and 74.9 per cent were on time in the month of September. Overall, buses this year are consistently more likely to be late than at the same time in 2022, and the yearly average has not been this low since 2019.

The potential reduction in the STM’s services came after Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced that the province’s capital would only fund 20 per cent of the cost of public transit in Montreal. Since this, Guilbault has agreed to cover 70 per cent of the cost, but that is still less than what the city asked for. 

Indeed, the ten regional transit agencies had asked for $300 million dollars, but the Quebec government is only offering to pay $265 million dollars, with $238 million dollars going to the city of Montreal. That is $35 million dollars less than what public transit agencies requested.  

The number of people using public transit in the city has not gone back to pre-pandemic levels, a huge blow to the STM budget. Even with the new offer from Guilbault, the STM still has a hole in its budget. If the STM cannot find the money, it will have to cut back on services, although the transit provider claims that it should not impact buses or the metro. 

For people who have to take multiple forms of public transit back to back, this tardiness compounds. A few minutes means missing a metro or maybe even the next bus, leading to even more wasted time and an increased risk of being late.

It is true that passengers can always leave earlier, but doing so can add 15 to 20 minutes to one’s daily commute, which can add up to two hours every week.  As someone who already spends around three hours commuting to Loyola campus every day, I would much rather spend those two hours sleeping or doing literally anything else besides waiting. 

This decrease in quality is especially frustrating considering STM fairs are rising rapidly. The cost of a monthly pass jumped from $94 to $97 in July 2023—a three per cent increase—while single passes jumped from $3.50 to $3.75. 

These hikes put additional pressure on commuters amidst a cost of living crisis, especially as the quality of services goes down. And with the news that the metro could begin closing at 11 p.m. and start opening at 9 a.m. on weekends, the future is looking bleak for those who rely on public transit. 

While these changes are not guaranteed, it is not uncommon for people who work in healthcare or in the service industry to leave or come back from work at that time.These changes could force people to use their car, pay for a taxi or an Uber just to get to work, or quit their job altogether. Indeed, if people are forced to pay to get to and from work, it might no longer be financially viable to keep that job. 

The reliance on cars over public transit also contributes significantly to the climate crisis. According to the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) environmental plan, Quebec’s transportation sector accounted for 42.8 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in 2020, with light vehicles accounting for 60 per cent of those emissions. 

Public transit is essential to decreasing GHG emissions, with the STM reporting that public transit in Montreal helps avoid the emission of 2.3 million additional tonnes of greenhouse gases.

If the CAQ governments directed even a small amount of funds into public transit, it could help increase the number of buses on the road, increase the metro’s punctuality and could even lead to it closing later rather than earlier.

Legault’s failure to protect public transit: Quebec’s resistance to fund public transit is detrimental for riders and climate Read More »

Snowdon metro station.

Transit cuts raise concerns amongst Montrealers: STM is considering service reductions due to financial shortcomings

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Snowdon metro station. Photo Dorothy Mombrun

Claudia Beaudoin
Local Journalism Initiative

Monica Jackiewicz wraps up her 12-hour night shift at the hospital, exiting around 7:30 a.m., thoroughly drained. The metro has been her reliable mode of commuting home, but she’s now learning that on weekends, it might be off-limits for her until 9 a.m.

On Oct. 30, the Société de Transport de Montréal’s (STM) director general Marie-Claude Léonard confirmed a contingency plan in light of budgetary challenges. This plan entails substantial service cutbacks which include the metro closing at 11 p.m. every day and resuming operations at 9 a.m. on weekends in addition to reducing the frequency of bus services. 

Léonard further clarified that these are merely proposals, and they do not intend to implement such measures unless deemed necessary.

Jackiewicz expressed concern that these cutbacks would force her to resign from her job, given her current work schedule, which includes day shifts starting at 6:30 a.m. and night shifts that typically finish around 7:30 a.m. 

According to Jackiewicz, there was a lack of consideration for the broader societal benefits that the metro provides.“If it’s keeping hospitals open, isn’t that a benefit worth considering?”

With fewer services available, additional time will be added to Jackiewicz’s commute. She mentioned that this would leave her with insufficient time between her shifts, making it unsustainable.

As budget deadlines approach, Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault has decided to allocate $265 million out of the requested $424 million by the Autorité Régionale de Transport Métropolitain in additional funding for 2024. This remains a notable advancement in light of their initial commitment to cover only 20 per cent of the budget.

Guilbault said she believes that budget adjustments can still be made without resorting to significant service reductions.

While the STM’s contingency plan is still under consideration, the disclosure has prompted inquiries and concerns within the affected communities as they contemplate the potential repercussions of such a change.

“I already thought 12:30 a.m. was early compared to the Toronto metro,” said Dalena Nguyen, a student from Ontario attending Concordia University. The metro serves as her sole means of transportation during her studies. She described the 11 p.m. metro closure as feeling like a curfew. In contrast, The Toronto Transit Commission closes approximately at 2 a.m. daily.

Nguyen’s weekly schedule would not be affected, yet most of her exams have been on weekends. Though the bus might be an additional option, her 15-minute commute would grow closer to an hour. “I don’t really like buses because I find them not very accurate to the time. I’m always worried I’ll be late for the bus,” Nguyen said.

In a recent press conference, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante emphasized the cultural, economic, and environmental significance of the STM, stating, “The government needs to continue to show their enthusiasm to support public transit.” 

While Montrealers advocate for transit as an essential service, market fluctuations and such alterations make it challenging to rely on. Earlier this year, STM users also experienced fare hikes–an increase of approximately 3 per cent. 

STM Chairman Éric Alan Caldwell highlighted the direct relationship between service cutbacks and ridership at a talk organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on Oct. 30. He demonstrated that from 2011 to 2018, when the STM experienced service reductions, ridership declined. Whereas, when service levels improved, ridership tended to increase.

Christian Favreau, a Climate Justice Montreal member and active participant in transit campaigns, shared a similar sentiment. In addition to his personal disappointment, he emphasized the broader consequences of these decisions.

“Public transit is a climate solution in a way that electric vehicles are not,” said Favreau. He discussed the overall emissions generated during the production of these cars, along with their accessibility to the public.

In its new five-year climate action plan, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) announced that transportation was the cause of 42.8 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec in 2020. 

A budget of $3.8 billion has been designated to support Quebec’s transportation sector, with a strong focus on promoting electric vehicles.

“What we are seeing is that the bulk of the CAQ’s five-year climate action Budget is going towards electrical vehicle subsidies,” said Favreau. “But [to do that] we need to get cars off the road.” 

He emphasized the pressing need to alleviate urban congestion and minimize the extent of paved surfaces to address the looming threat of heat waves.

The significance of the transit system as a contributor to climate action is acknowledged in the STM’s sustainable development plan 2025, highlighting that the STM contributes to averting 2.3 million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

“The transit system isn’t being viewed as a public good or public service because every time it’s in the news we are talking about a deficit,” said Favreau. “We need to be revolutionizing the way we see our buses and metros.”

Transit cuts raise concerns amongst Montrealers: STM is considering service reductions due to financial shortcomings Read More »

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