Ottawa to invest $1.3 billion in Blue line extension

The federal government will announce it is contributing about $1.3 billion to the extension of the Montreal Metro's Blue line tomorrow.

The investment corresponds to about a third of the expected total cost. Ottawa will not finance cost overages.

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The investment is part of the federal government's "Investing in Canada Plan," which provides funding for infrastructure projects.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Montreal for the announcement. Premier Franois Legault will not be there, but Quebec's junior transport minister Chantal Rouleau will represent him.

But Rouleau is not expected to announcethe province's investment,nor the total cost of the project.

According to the latest estimates, the project will cost close to $4.5 billion. That cost also includes the construction of two bus terminals, a park-and-ridelot with 1,200 spots and a pedestrian tunnel that will connect to the future bus rapid transit system (BRT) onPie-IX Boulevard.

The Blue line will include five new stops eastbound, with the final stop near the corner of Blanger Street and Boulevard des Galeries d'Anjou.

The timeline for the extension has notchanged. It is set to be ready for 2026.

Politicians have been promisingto extend the Blue line into Anjou since the 1970s.