Major Commitment to Paint Québec Bridge

News Release

November 28, 2014 – Québec City, Quebec – Infrastructure Canada

Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, along with Robert Poëti, Quebec's Minister of Transport, Régis Labeaume, Mayor of Québec, and Gilles Lehouillier, Mayor of Lévis, today announced a major commitment to paint the Québec Bridge and called on the owner, the Canadian National (CN) Railway Company, to complete the financing package.

Designated a national historic site of Canada, the Québec Bridge is an engineering marvel that serves as the gateway to the city, a UNESCO gem.

The Harper Government commits to invest $75 million for the painting of the Québec Bridge and is calling on CN to step up and do its part. The Government of Quebec commits to invest $23.5 million, the City of Québec, $1 million, and the City of Lévis, $500,000, for a total of $100 million.

Work will commence once the financing package is complete. A painting cost update and confirmation of the time frame will be the first step in the Québec Bridge painting project.

Quick facts

The Government of Canada commits to invest $75 million, the Government of Quebec, $23.5 million, the City of Québec, $1 million, and the City of Lévis, $500,000.
Total costs are estimated at $200 million according to a preliminary estimate.
The Québec Bridge is a national historic site of Canada and a UNESCO gem. It is a steel cantilever bridge over the Saint-Lawrence River that is used for Highway 175 (32,000 vehicles a day) and a rail line (Via Rail Canada and CN).
The Québec Bridge is safe. CN has made substantial investments in recent years to ensure the safety of its users. The Government of Quebec has also invested in modernizing the bridge deck.
The Government of Quebec has also invested in the modernization of the Bridge deck. Under the agreement for the use of the vehicular routes of the structure, the Ministère des transports du Québec is contributing a total of $60 million to the major rehabilitation and annual maintenance program for the Québec Bridge, until 2022.

Quotes

"I am pleased to be joined by the Government of Quebec and the cities of Québec and Lévis, which will also be contributing to the financing of the painting of the Québec Bridge, a symbol of the Québec area's heritage. We are all hoping to finalize the financing package by calling on CN to step up. In addition to fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure the bridge's safety, as it does year after year, CN must join in the effort to paint the bridge as promised in 1997 and thus right a past wrong."

"It is clear that, for the people of Québec, the painting of the bridge remained a problem. That is why we brought the different authorities together to contribute to the financing."

- The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"Today, I can tell you that we have heard the people of the Québec area and we are keeping our word. This major financial contribution by the Harper Government toward the painting of the Québec Bridge is testimony to the respect we have for the heritage of Québec, Lévis and the whole area. Québec is the birthplace of Canada and the bridge is the gateway to that city. The condition of the bridge is unacceptable. The fact that Canada's 150^th anniversary is in 2017 also factored into our thinking, as it is important that this historic structure be restored its former glory."

- The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"The Québec Bridge is a strategic structure that is essential for travel in metropolitan Quebec. Through its contribution, the Government of Quebec is doing its share to ensure the sustainability of the structure and thus the safety of its users in the coming years. Elected officials at all levels, without exception, are united today to show their good faith in finding a permanent solution to the Québec Bridge situation. CN is invited to join us, to work jointly to restore the Bridge to its rightful state."

- Mr Robert Poëti, Quebec Transport Minister and Minister responsible for the Montréal region

"The Québec Bridge is a great source of pride for us. I am very pleased that both levels of government, as well as the cities of Québec and Lévis, are doing their parts to ensure that this symbol of the National Capital will be restored to its former splendour. Beyond its legal responsibility, CN has a moral responsibility to contribute to this collective effort."

- Sam Hamad, Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for the National Capital Region

"Ever since Gilles Lehouillier and I got started on this, I feel as though we've been successful in mobilizing the authorities and the public around the sorry state of the Québec Bridge. Today, we are tangibly doing our part towards improving the situation. I hope that CN will also agree to contribute to this great feeling of pride in the Québec region."

- Régis Labeaume, Mayor of the City of Québec

"The support of the governments of Canada and Quebec is an historic effort for the people of the Lévis and Québec regions. This file has been dragging along for over 25 years, so it is time to resolve it once and for all. The mobilization will continue until CN finally gets moving on this. Citizens and politicians must come together and unite their forces to make this rehabilitation of the Québec Bridge actually happen. My ardent wish is to be able to celebrate a revitalized structure that is worthy of its time for the hundredth anniversary of the opening of the Québec Bridge to rail traffic in 2017."

- Gilles Lehouillier, Mayor of the City of Lévis

Contacts

Vincent Rabault
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838

Valérie Rodrigue
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport and Minister Responsible for the region of Montréal
418-643-6980

Salim Idrissi
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Labour and the Minister responsible for the the National Capital Region
418-643-5297

Jean-Christophe de Le Rue
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Saftey and Emergency Preparedness
613-797-0671

David O'Brien
Communications Advisor
City of Québec
418-641-6411 poste 2527

Florent Tanlet
Press Secretary
Office of the Mayor, City of Lévis
418-265-1982

For information

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Website: Infrastructure Canada

Communications Directorate
Ministère des transports du Québec
Telephone:
Québec: 418-644-4444
Montréal: 514-873-5600
Toll-free: 1-866-341-5724

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Major Commitment to Paint Québec Bridge

News Release

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