NoH016/13
For release - February 18, 2013
MONTREAL — Today, the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, met with engineering, business and design experts to discuss the new bridge for the St. Lawrence.
“We are working towards a solid, durable bridge that will be built to last,” said Minister Lebel. “Our discussions were very productive and I am pleased to be able to count on local experts for advice.”
The goal of the meeting was to listen to their views on how to ensure architectural quality, while respecting project timelines as well as budgetary and environmental considerations.
“We will deliver a high quality structure, on time and on budget, to meet the needs of commuters, transit users and commerce,” said Minister Lebel.
Since last fall, Transport Canada officials have held a series of meetings with stakeholders to discuss the design of the new bridge as well as many other key facets of this project. The project is on track and continues to respect its original timelines. The federal government will continue to work with key partners, including representatives of the Government of Quebec and the Cities of Montreal, Brossard and Longueuil, to advance the new bridge for the St. Lawrence.
On October 5, 2011, Minister Lebel announced that the Government of Canada will proceed with a new crossing to replace the existing Champlain Bridge. The six-lane Champlain Bridge is one of the busiest bridges in Canada. With an estimated $20 billion in international trade crossing the Champlain Bridge annually, this corridor is a significant part of the regional economy and Canada’s economy as a whole. The project also supports the objectives of Canada’s gateway strategies.
For more information about the new bridge for the St. Lawrence, please visit www.tc.gc.ca/nbfsl.
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Contacts:
Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
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, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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