No. H 027/08
For release - February 1, 2008
SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE QUEBEC-GATINEAU RAILWAY
GATINEAU, QUEBEC – The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the Quebec-Gatineau Railway (QGRY), evaluated at more than $21 million.
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Mr. Benoît Pelletier, Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region and MNA for Chapleau, today announced that this agreement represents an investment of more than $14 million from the Governments of Canada and Quebec.
"The restoration of shortline railways will generate socio-economic benefits for the regions of Quebec," said Minister Cannon. "This project will provide support to the industries and businesses that use the railway network and will increase the efficiency of the trade corridors in these regions."
"This investment will help maintain and develop an adequate and competitive network of railway transportation infrastructures, meeting the needs of shippers," said Minister Pelletier.
The Government of Canada will invest more than $8.4 million and the Government of Quebec more than $5.6 million over a period of five years in order to support this project, as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructure in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors.
This railway's infrastructure is at the end of its useful life, mainly in terms of the rails, but also in terms of its sub-structure, the ties and the ballast. The issue here is not the carrying capacity of the tracks, but rather restoring the infrastructure over a distance of 483 kilometres.
The shortlines provide regional railway service, and for local businesses they are essential for trade. These companies run more than 38 per cent of the Quebec railway network, that is, more than 2,300 kilometres of railway. In Quebec, more than 80 per cent of the products shipped over the shortlines are destined for the United States. The merchandise shipped over these regional railroads is mainly wood, paper, pulp, particle board, ore and aluminum. Shortlines thus play an indispensable role in the Quebec economy.- 30 -
Contacts:
Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities and Minister responsible for Quebec
613-991-0700
Daniel Desharnais
Political Attaché
Office of the Quebec Minister of Transport
418-643-6980
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Véronique Milot
Regional Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region and MNA for Chapleau
819-246-4558
Jean Armand
Communications Advisor
Ministère des Transports du Québec
418-644-1520, ext. 2567
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