No. H090/11
For release - October 5, 2011
MONTREAL — The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, today announced that the Harper government will proceed with a new bridge across the St. Lawrence in Montreal.
"Building a new bridge across the St. Lawrence is vital to the economic growth of Montreal and the region, and is beneficial to Canada as a whole," said Minister Lebel. "This is a major infrastructure project that will bring benefits for years to come by ensuring the safe and efficient movement of people and goods in this busy corridor."
The Government of Canada has carefully reviewed the pre-feasibility and assessment studies that have already been done, and concludes that a new bridge is necessary. Over the coming months, the government will hold important discussions with partners to determine the most efficient way of moving this project forward. It will also examine the creation of a public-private partnership to build the new bridge and the use of tolls. The government will also consider bridge governance options, including what role Quebec could play in the project. The government will work with the private sector to ensure that the construction of the bridge is done at no additional cost to taxpayers.
Until a new bridge can be built, the Government of Canada will continue to ensure that the existing Champlain Bridge remains safe. "The safety and security of people crossing the Champlain Bridge every day are a priority for our government," said Minister Lebel. "Since 2009, we have announced significant investments totalling $380 million to keep this important bridge safe for all who use it."
The government will proceed with studies and preliminary work, and will consider the views of key stakeholders, including regional mayors and the province. All decisions will be taken in a fiscally responsible manner. A tunnel option is not being pursued because it would be significantly more expensive to build and operate.
The six-lane Champlain Bridge is the busiest vehicular bridge in Canada. An estimated 11 million public transit commuters, 60 million vehicles and $20 billion in international trade cross the bridge annually. The bridge is an important trade corridor for the regional economy and also benefits the national economy. It also responds to the objectives of Canada's gateway strategies.
– 30 –
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
