After the CDPQ Infra indicated that the REM de l’Est project would go no further without clear support from the City, the latter replies that the Caisse has “homework to do” so that the project is ” copy”.
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“All the experts have endorsed the conditions required by the City of Montreal from the start for this project to be a success that meets the expectations of the Montreal population,” said Catherine Cadotte, press officer in the office of the mayor of Montreal.
She reminds that the advisory committee has already indicated improvements that must be made to the project for it to be acceptable.
“We expect the CDPQ to do its homework and respond to the requests expressed in the report of the committee of experts. Our administration wants the project that will be submitted to the population to respect the ambitions of Montrealers and future generations,” added Ms. Cadotte.
Since his re-election, the Plante administration has been asking to have a seat at the decision-making table in order to be able to have a say in the project. It also promised to invest the sum of $500 million to allow better urban integration of the project.
Thursday morning, “La Presse” revealed that the CDPQ Infra would refuse to go ahead with the project without a clear position from the City on the latest version of the project, which was presented on March 9.
The project was to be submitted to the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement this spring. However, the hearings will be postponed.
At the time of this writing, it had not yet been possible to speak to a representative of CDPQ Infra, which manages the REM de l’Est project.
On the official opposition side in Montreal, Mayor Valérie Plante is accused of “killing the biggest public transit project” because of a “lack of leadership”.
“She has had more than a year to clarify with stakeholders what she considers to be” an exemplary integration “of the Eastern REM since its announcement in December 2020”, was indignant Aref Salem, head of the official opposition, which wonders why the City has not defined its criteria more clearly.
Optimistic Quebec
On the side of the government of Quebec, it is estimated that at this stage of the project, the evaluation of the BAPE is “premature”, although it will eventually be necessary. It is recalled that it was only last week that the committee of experts presented its report and its avenues for improving the project.
“The REM de l’Est is a major project that requires that things be done rigorously. We want to take the time for everything to be done in order so that all parties are satisfied: the City, CDPQ, and the government,” said Catherine Boucher, press secretary to Minister Chantal Rouleau, who is responsible in particular for the Montreal region.
However, she indicates that the minister’s team is confident of being able to come up with the “best project” to serve the east of Montreal.
See also
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com