Canada’s Minister of Transport visited Lac-Mégantic to meet with community members and elected officials in the region

January 19, 2023    Lac-Mégantic, Quebec    Transport Canada

Following the July 6, 2013 tragedy that took 47 lives, the Government of Canada committed to building a rail bypass to move trains out of downtown Lac-Megantic. This project remains a priority for the Government of Canada.  

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Annie Koutrakis, visited Lac-Mégantic to meet with community members. They listened to the community’s needs and concerns, in addition to reiterating their firm commitment for the construction of the bypass as soon as possible. 

During their visit, the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary also met with the Mayor of Lac-Mégantic, Julie Morin; the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Mégantic, François Jacques; the Mayor of Nantes, Daniel Gendron; and the Mayor of Frontenac, Gaby Gendron. In addition to discussing the next steps leading to the realization of the project, the Minister also emphasized the importance of maintaining rail safety, continuing a dialogue with citizens, and mitigating environmental impacts.

The Minister also took the opportunity to visit the identified bypass site that will permanently remove trains from downtown Lac-Mégantic.