CDPQ Infra proposes new LRT linking downtown Montréal, South Shore, West Island, North Shore and the airport

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
image description
CDPQ Facebook

CDPQ Infra, a subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, unveiled plans for its Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM), an integrated, public transportation project.

 

As proposed, the REM will link downtown Montréal, the South Shore, the West Island (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue), the North Shore (Deux-Montagnes) and the airport in a unified, fully automated, 67-kilometer (41-mile) light-rail transit (LRT) system comprising 24 stations and operating 20 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For the metropolitan area, the REM represents the largest public transportation infrastructure since the Montréal metro, inaugurated in 1966.

As a single, integrated transportation network, the REM will offer a number of travel options in the Greater Montréal area. Connections between the new network and existing bus, metro and train systems have also been designed to simplify itineraries. With frequent service running from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., 20 hours a day, every day, the REM represents significant time savings for commuters in the metropolitan region. The decision to use dedicated tracks will allow for quick and uninterrupted travel.

New stations will be integrated into their urban environment and designed to allow easy access for pedestrians, bicycles, cars and buses. All stations will be covered, climate-controlled and equipped with elevators.

The project allows for the creation of a dedicated corridor for public transportation, without the need to share tracks with freight trains.

“Today we are proposing an innovative public transit solution that will improve the quality of life in Montréal and deliver important economic, social and environmental benefits. It will improve the metropolitan region’s overall competitiveness,” said Michael Sabia, president and chief executive officer of la Caisse. “The new transit system will also deliver long-term, stable investment returns very well aligned with the needs of our depositors, the people of Québec. As such, this project is perfectly in line with our overall strategy and with our approach to investing in Québec – focused as it is on the development of high-impact, commercially sound projects. Every time passengers use their new transit system, they will be helping to secure their future retirement. This virtuous circle serves as a good illustration of the principle underlying the public-public partnership model.”

The new network represents an investment of approximately CA$5.5 billion (US$4.3 billion). La Caisse is willing to commit CA$3 billion (US$2.3 billion) to the project. The proposed financial structure also requires investments by the Québec and Canadian governments.

The new network will generate approximately 7,500 direct and indirect jobs annually during the four-year construction phase and more than 1,000 permanent jobs once in operation.

The plan also includes reserve capacity to meet future needs, with five potential stations envisioned for areas, such as McGill University and Université de Montréal. The proposed route will also go through areas with high economic development potential, including the airport, Technoparc St-Laurent, Université de Montréal, the Peel Basin and the Wellington-Bridge area.
The decision to move forward with the construction of this major public transportation project is conditional upon the financial participation of the government.

CDPQ Infra plans to submit this project to the environmental impact public hearing process at the end of the summer of 2016. Construction is currently expected to begin in the spring of 2017, so that the first trains can be in service towards the end of 2020.

Tags: