Quebec roads crumbling as maintenance backlog hits $30B

More than 50 per cent of Quebec's roads are now in poor condition, with a maintenance deficit approaching $30 billion, according to a coalition of industry groups, researchers, business organizations and road-user representatives.

The Coalition for Better Roads in Quebec unveiled five recommendations Tuesday aimed at slowing the deterioration of the provincial road network. The group argues Quebec relies too heavily on rebuilding roads after they have significantly deteriorated rather than investing in preventive maintenance that could extend pavement life and avoid more expensive repairs later.

"Preventive maintenance carried out at the right time costs only a fraction of a full reconstruction," said Marc Joncas, president of Eurovia Quebec. "The longer we wait to intervene, the higher the bill becomes for taxpayers."

Among the coalition's recommendations are protecting preventive maintenance budgets through a dedicated reserve fund, accelerating the adoption of innovative construction technologies, increasing the recycling of road-building materials, standardizing infrastructure practices across the province and improving knowledge-sharing between government, industry and universities.

Éric Lachance-Tremblay, a construction engineering professor at the École de technologie supérieure, noted that several technologies capable of significantly extending the lifespan of roads already exist and are being used elsewhere in North America. "The challenge now is to accelerate their large-scale adoption," he said.

For Montréal drivers, the consequences are already visible: potholes, crumbling shoulders, and road work that seems to stretch year-round. The province has limited resources and competing priorities; without a major shift in spending approach, local roads will only get worse.