Important step towards completing the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project with the submission of the application to the Canadian Transportation Agency
News release
September 20, 2025 Lac-Mégantic, Quebec Transport Canada
The Government of Canada is committed to developing railway infrastructure outside downtown Lac-Mégantic.
Today, the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Steven MacKinnon, announced an important step forward in the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has received the railway operator’s official application, allowing the project to move into the assessment phase.
Following extensive environmental consultations, Transport Canada and the rail operator reached a key milestone with the submission of the application to the CTA. The application includes environmental studies, consultation reports, as well as a well monitoring plan. These documents will be made available online as part of the public consultation process, which will be launched shortly.
Construction of the bypass will begin once all regulatory approvals have been obtained, including from the CTA.
The Government of Canada maintains an open dialogue and is working with all stakeholders to complete this project.
This project is of vital importance to Canadians in the Lac-Mégantic region.
Quotes
“We will remove the railroad tracks from downtown Lac-Mégantic. The bypass project is becoming increasingly concrete now that the project’s application was officially submitted to Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). All the information required to assess the project and start the public consultation process is now available to the CTA. We will be ready to go as soon as the application is approved by the CTA.”
The Honourable Steven MacKinnon
Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Quick facts
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The project’s application was filed with the CTA by the rail operator in accordance with section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act. This section states that, on application by the railway company, the CTA may grant approval to construct a railway line if it considers that the location of the railway line is reasonable, taking into consideration requirements for railway operations and services and the interests of the localities that will be affected by the line.
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To help determine whether a location is reasonable, the CTA takes into consideration the views of the communities, individuals and groups that will be affected by the railway line.
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The application submitted to the CTA for approval includes numerous mitigation measures to minimize the project's impacts on the community and environment. Transport Canada and the rail operator have added environmental mitigation measures that were presented at the public consultation on hydrogeological in the fall of 2022.
Contacts
Laura Scaffidi
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Steven MacKinnon
Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Ottawa
Laura.Scaffidi@tc.gc.ca
Media relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
media@tc.gc.ca