Facing criticism from urban planners, heritage activists, the region’s transit authority and the city’s mayor, the planners of the city’s most expensive transit project will go back to the drawing board.
The Caisse du dépôt et placement du Québec said Thursday it put the controversial $10 billion REM de l’Est project on hold, as it has not yet met the social acceptability needed for a project of such importance.
Destined to be presented for public hearings at the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement this spring, the project is now on hold indefinitely so planners can respond to criticisms of the project. That means the project likely won’t be delivered by the original target of 2029.
“With the magnitude of a project like the REM de l’Est, which is essential for the east and northeast of Montreal, we place great importance on all partners adhering to a common alignment,” said Jean-Vincent Lacroix, a spokesperson for CDPQ Infra, a subsidiary of the Caisse. “Taking the time to ensure such alignment before launching the BAPE process is natural and necessary.”
First presented in December 2020, the project would see a driverless electric train network built over 32 km and serve 23 stations in transit-starved areas that aren’t covered by the métro network, connecting the downtown core with Montreal North and Pointe-aux-Trembles.
The project, however, has been the subject of much criticism, specifically that the above-ground rails in the downtown core will create an urban scar in the city’s landscape, akin to another Metropolitan Expressway.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante repeated on Thursday that the project must meet the “winning conditions” that the city has already outlined in meetings with CDPQ Infra, and it must also address all the concerns of the committee of independent experts that have evaluated the project. So far, that has not happened, she said.
“CDPQ Infra must ensure the success of the REM and do its homework so that this can be an exemplary project,” Plante said in a statement. “All the experts endorse the conditions outlined by the city since the beginning of this process so that this project meets the standards of Montrealers.”
Plante added that she wants the city to have a seat at the table so it can be part of the decision-making on how the project will be integrated into the urban landscape.
Others have been more categorical in their criticism of the project. Longtime urban planner and transit expert Florence Junca-Adenot said the project would weaken existing transit systems by competing with them.
“Normally when you build a new project, it should increase the use of public transit and serve the needs of commuters. In this case, the REM de l’Est does neither of those things,” Junca-Adenot told the Montreal Gazette in February.
The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain said last month that CDPQ Infra should find “a better alignment between the commuting needs, the urban settings it would cross, the proposed mode and the construction costs.”
However, the city’s opposition blasted Plante, saying she is endangering the future of the project, and East End commuters will continue to be underserved.
“Due to her lack of leadership, Mayor Plante is slowing killing Montreal’s largest public transit project,” opposition leader Aref Salem said in an emailed statement. “She has had more than a year to clarify with stakeholders what she considers ‘an exemplary integration’ of the REM de l’Est since its first announcement in December 2020.”
Junior transport minister Chantal Rouleau, whose East End riding would be served by the project, said the project needs to be improved, but it must come to fruition to better serve the needs of commuters.
“At this stage, it is premature to hold a BAPE,” she said in a statement. “That being said, we want the BAPE to happen. It is necessary for a big project such as the REM the l’Est. We are still confident that we will come up with the best project for the East of Montreal.”
I wasn't going to touch this hot potato with a 10-foot pole.
But it's Monday, most people working at Ontario pensions are on break this week, so I decided to talk a little about REM de l'Est since it's closer to home.
Important preamble:Nobody at CDPQ or CDPQ Infra contacted me about this story and they definitely have nothing to do with my views below.
And since I don't shy away from controversial subjects, let me state right off the top this is Montreal politics at its worst and if this REM de l'Est project isn't delivered by the start of the new decade, the people living in Montreal's East End will pay the ultimate price because they will continue using subpar transit for their commuting needs.
Got that? It's not Mayor Plante and the bureaucrats advising her that will pay the price. They'll be long gone, collecting their fat defined benefit pension payments by then. It’s the working class and middle class increasingly living in the city's East End which will pay a very heavy price.
So why did the project get put on hold?
I reckon the folks at CDPQ Infra are fed up with the political nonsense and decided to once again open public discussions on the project.
But the real reason this project is being put on hold is because of special interests looking to torpedo the REM and now REM de l'Est.
These are architectural, urban planning and environmental interest groups who didn't like the "aesthetics" of the proposed REM de l'Est because god forbid we build it above ground and "expose our city to an eyesore".
"Let's build it underground," they say or just don't build it at all.
Great, sounds easy, except building underground will balloon the cost by ten times minimum and endanger our buildings in the downtown core.
How much more? Minimum ten times more.
In fact, an article just came out on how Montreal Metro's Blue line extension is finally a go, but province says it's behind schedule:
After being discussed for decades, the Montreal Metro's Blue line extension project is back on the rails for good and finally on its way to realization, the Quebec government announced Friday.
But the project will be more expensive than originally planned, and it is three years behind schedule, set for completion in 2029.
The Blue line extension, which in recent years had an estimated price tag of $4.5 billion, is now set to cost $6.4 billion, said Chantal Rouleau, the province's junior transport minister who is also responsible for the Montreal region.
Rouleau announced the plan during a news conference Friday, alongside Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
Rouleau confirmed the plan is still to add five more stations to the Metro line — Pie-IX, Viau, Lacordaire and Langelier, with the terminus being in Anjou.
The Anjou station will now be built under Highway 25, and not on the parking lot site of Galeries d'Anjou — a plan that was sharply contested by the shopping centre's owners.
Cadillac Fairview and Ivanhoé Cambridge went as far as to launch a legal fight when Montreal's transit authority, Société de transport de Montréal (STM), filed an expropriation notice.
"The Blue line will go to Anjou. The project has been enhanced to open up to an entire population who will now have access to a public transit system worthy of the name," said Rouleau in a statement.
The province says moving the station to Highway 25 will provide access to the surrounding neighbourhood's and the incoming light-rail network, known as the REM de L'Est. However, that project is now on hold over a dispute with Montreal.
As for the Blue line extension, the province will foot much of the bill, with the federal government expected to pitch in $1.3 billion.
Quebec officials also announced a $1.12 billion grant to the Montreal's public transit authority, the STM, to continue planning the Blue line project and fund the Metro's asset maintenance and universal accessibility programs.
Provincial politicians last gathered for an announcement regarding the project during the spring of 2018, six months before the last provincial election.
Regardless of the delays, Montreal's mayor says this is something her administration wants.
"Our administration has always made mobility a priority and we have worked tirelessly to make the Blue line extension a reality," Plante said in a statement.
Aref Salem, leader of the official opposition, Ensemble Montréal, said residents of the Saint-Léonard and Anjou boroughs have been waiting for this project for more than 40 years.
While it's good news for those who live in the city's east end, Salem said, he criticized Plante for not maintaining "tight control" over the project's progress.
"After numerous court cases and a project bill that is increasing by $15 million every month, it took the Quebec government to take the file in hand to finally move forward," said Salem in a statement.
As you can read, the article clearly states that the project is now set for completion in 2029 at a cost of $6.4 billion instead of the initial estimate of $4.5 billion.
Think about that, extending the Blue line by nearly 6 km will end up costing just as much as the entire 67 km REM project.
All this to say it costs a lot more (ten times more) to dig underground and there are always delays and cost overruns.
It's also interesting to note there's no public outcry on the cost overruns concerning the extension of the Blue line which will amount to $2 billion more than initial estimates but everyone is up in arms over REM de l'Est.
I'm also fed up reading nonsense and disinformation emanating from the the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and Exo, which operates existing commuter trains, weighed in saying the new electric train.
They all have an angle to play and that's why they're spreading lies and disinformation on this project.
Two weeks ago, Allison Hanes wrote an article, Why not consider alternatives to the REM de l'Est?, ending n this note:
The point is, the REM de l’Est should not become a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. If we’re going to spend $10 billion, it’s worth taking the time to get this right. Not only is this important to ensure significant amounts of public and private money are used wisely, it is also crucial given the role transit projects play in shaping cities for generations to come.
I'm not sure if Ms. Hanes is aware of the intense planning that took place for the REM but it's the same planning and consultations that are taking place for the REM de l'Est.
These are top-notch planners and engineers who know what they're talking about and CDPQ Infra has extensively consulted all stakeholders including the public.
Yes, $10 billion is no small chunk of change but it will balloon to $20, $30 billion or more if we succumb to the demands of every interest group (just look at my Blue line example and that's not just due to inflation!).
Or, more likely, they will kill this project and screw the hardworking residents living in the East and Northeast end of Montreal.
That's the real tragedy here.
Mayor Plante's "winning conditions" are not in the best interests of the people she is serving. Not when it comes to housing and not when it comes to transit needs.
I have more confidence in the CAQ government when it comes to making better decisions for the long-term prosperity of the city and province.
Anyways, I got my views out there, feel free to agree or disagree but the amount of nonsense I am reading these days on REM de l'Est really irritates me.
I hope the public consultations are fair but I fear they will be hijacked once again by special interest groups looking to kill the project.
Montreal's residents in the East End deserve better, a lot better.
Below, CDPQ Infra is proud to announce the REM Montréal-Est project! Easier to get around, time savings, connections with the existing network, plus a stunning view of the city and river. This new public transit network will further drive the development of Montréal-Est.
Think about it, getting to downtown Montreal from Cégep Marie-Victorin in 30 minutes, from Pointe-aux-Trembles in 25 minutes and from Maisonneuve Park in 10 minutes.
I also embedded a recent CTV News Montreal report on the project going over different views.
I still believe REM de l'Est will significantly improve the quality of life of people living in this area and immensely improve our city in every way.
I hope the provincial government takes control here and we get this project back on track (something tells me this project will be part of a campaign promise come next provincial elections).