Parti Québécois would scrap high-speed rail project
The PQ would withdraw Quebec from the federal TGV plan if it wins October's election, redirecting funds to aging infrastructure.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
The Parti Québécois said it would pull Quebec out of the federal high-speed rail project if it forms government in October, arguing the money should go toward fixing crumbling roads, hospitals, and schools instead.
PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he cannot "justify to Quebecers that their money be invested in a pharaonic project" when Quebec's asset maintenance deficit exceeds $40 billion. Using estimates from the Bloc Québécois, he pegged Quebec's share of the TGV at around $40 billion — funds a PQ government would demand Ottawa transfer "unconditionally" for infrastructure renewal.
The high-speed rail project, run by Crown corporation Alto, aims to connect Toronto to Quebec City with stops in multiple cities. Construction of the first segment between Montreal and Ottawa is scheduled to begin in 2029 or 2030. Alto currently estimates the total cost at $60 to $90 billion, though some experts believe that forecast is unrealistic.
St-Pierre Plamondon pointed to studies suggesting the rail line may have minimal impact on road traffic and called the project "highly likely to be a huge financial fiasco." He also criticized the public route consultations as "opaque," noting that farmers worry about their fields being cut in two.
The PQ leader joins Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet in opposing the current version of the project. Prime Minister Mark Carney has defended the initiative, but the political pressure is mounting as October's election approaches.