No. H 205/08
For release - September 4, 2008
GATINEAU – The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Norman MacMillan, Chief Government Whip and MNA for Papineau broke ground to announce the beginning of road construction between Thurso and Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours (Montebello) as part of the Highway 50 extension in the Outaouais Region.
"Today the Government of Canada is keeping its promise. Its $38 million contribution to this project will improve the quality of life of area residents and reduce congestion," said Minister Cannon. "The extension of Highway 50 is a priority for the Government of Canada. It will improve the movement of goods and people on the national highway system and increase economic activity in the region."
"This announcement confirms that work on all remaining segments of the Highway 50 extension is now underway. Some, including the Doherty-Montée Laurin-Thurso stretch and the Grenville-Lachute segment, will even be completed this year," said Mr. MacMillan. "The entire Gatineau-Lachute segment of Highway 50 will open in sections between now and 2012."
Today's ceremony marks the beginning of construction on the 24-kilometre section between Thurso and Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours (Montebello) in the Outaouais Region. This is the longest stretch of Highway 50 currently under construction.
Transport Quebec has estimated the cost of building the 24-kilometre section at $270 million. The Government of Canada will contribute up to $38 million for this section, under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) agreement signed on November 8, 2007.
Work on this section includes building a 24-kilometre stretch of two-lane highway, two interchanges (Montée Papineau and Highway 321), four overpasses (Montée du Gore, Montée Saint-François, Montée Saint-Charles and Chemin Saint-Hyacinthe) and a bridge over Rivière de la Petite-Nation.
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Contacts:
Catherine Loubier
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Daniel Desharnais
Press Secretary
Office of the Quebec
Transport Minister
418-643-6980
Media Relations
Transport Canada Ottawa
613-993-0055
Stéphane Lauzon
Head of Partner and User Liaison Services
Transport Quebec
819-772-3107, ext. 259
Norman MacMillan
Chief Government Whip and MNA for Papineau
418-643-6018
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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