Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, through its subsidiary CDPQ Infra, the Government of Québec and the Montréal City Council have announced the plans to construct the east Montreal REM (Réseau express métropolitain) project.
The new system will consist of 32 km of light rail connection and 23 new elevated stations. It will be divided into two branches that converge toward downtown Montréal. The network will link Montréal-Est and the boroughs of Rivière-des-Prairies – Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal-Nord, Saint-Léonard, Rosemont-Petite-Patrie, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Ville-Marie.
The project needs an investment of CAD 10 billion (USD 7.83 billion), the largest amount ever invested in a public transit project in Québec. During the construction period, this investment will create more than 9 000 direct and indirect jobs per year.
The new transit system will have a capacity of 133,000 passengers per day.
“(…) we are putting forward a public transit system proposal that meets both the needs of our six million depositors, and the need for mobility in the eastern and northeastern sectors of the island. This is a sustainable investment that will contribute to Quebecers’ retirement plans and generate significant benefits for the economy, the environment and communities,” Charles Emond, the CEO of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, said.
The so-called REM de l’Est project will be submitted to the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) for review as early as 2021.
Following the Québec government’s mandate, this transit solution was identified after a thorough study of the technical and economic aspects. This study confirms that the project is viable as it meets the transport needs of local communities and allows CDPQ to generate the necessary returns to meet the expectations of its depositors while supporting Québec’s economic recovery in the years to come.
The new line will improve the quality of life of the citizens and will support the development of numerous public spaces, while strengthening various types of economic activity and knowledge in this territory.
By providing a fast and reliable alternative transit on the island of Montréal, this new fully electric network will save the city more than 35,000 tonnes of GHG each year.
“This project will improve the quality of life for thousands of Québecers on a daily basis, create wealth not just for east end of Montréal but all of Québec, and help us reduce our GHG emissions,” François Legault, the Premier of Québec, said.
The East Montreal REM project together with the currently constructed automated metro system will reate the largest automated transit network in the world, comprising a 99 km-long system and 49 stations.
Share on:
