'We've waited long enough': Mayors north of Montreal demand more public transit options

Mayors on Montreal's NorthShore have come together to pressure the Legaultgovernment into doing something about the lack of public transit in the area, framing it as a major issue in a looming provincial byelection.

The call for better public transit access is supported by the mayors of Terrebonne, Repentigny, Mirabel, Blainville, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes, L'Assomption and Rosemre.

All of those cities are in ridings that elected MNAs with the Coalition Avenir Qubec(CAQ)in the last provincial election.That includes Premier Franois Legault, who represents L'Assomption.

Many of those cities' mayors, feeling ignored by the CAQ government,took part in a news conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday. They werejoined by MNAsfrom the the Quebec Liberal Party, the Parti Qubcois and Qubec Solidaire the three opposition parties.

They're demanding steady and predictable funding for public transit and and a plan to increase services.

Denis Martin, who has been the mayor of Deux-Montagnessince 2013, said he first travelled to Quebec City to ask the provincial government for more public transit funding in 2014.

His message on Wednesday was: "We've waited long enough."

"For too long, our citizens and businesses have directly suffered the consequences of the lack of investment in public transit," Martin said."Each morning, thousands of families lose precious hours stuck in traffic."

The mayors say the lack of public transit access is preventing businesses from setting up in theirindustrial parks because of how difficult commuting would be for their employees. They also say students are shying away from enrolling in schools in the area and it's forcing seniors to be more isolated.

In recent years, riders of the Train de l'Est, a commuter train service that connects stations in Terrebonneand Mascoucheto downtown Montreal, have dealt with major detours due to the work being done in the Mount Royal Tunnel for the Rseau Express Mtropolitain (REM).

Last week, Pierre Fitzgibbon, one of the top cabinet ministers in the Legault government, quit politics. His departure means there will eventually be a bylection in the Terrebonne riding.

'What's the point of having a CAQ MNA?'

In recent years, mayors, including in Montreal, have argued with the Quebec government over public transit funding. The province was reluctant to pay fortransit budget deficits that have become a post-pandemic norm, while the cities have raised the possibility of transit services being cut.

Opposition MNAs were quick to point out that the mayors are from CAQ-held provincial ridings.

"The image you see here is a strong one," said Jol Arseneau, Parti Qubcois MNA for les-de-la-Madeleine.

"We're setting up a common front to make sure the government hears us."

Monsef Derraji, the Liberal MNA for the Montreal riding of Nelligan, said the CAQ has shown a "lack of commitment when it comesto financing public transit."

"What's the point of having a CAQ MNA if they don't stand up and demand better public transit for their region?" he said.

tienne Grandmont, the Qubec Solidaire MNA for Taschereau, a riding that includes part of Quebec City, said the Legault government has wasted time and energy on the third link projectinstead of obvious transit needs in areas like the one north of Montreal.

"We can't leave them with a gap in service as big as it is now, and that gap continues to grow," Grandmont said. "The problem has been obvious for seven years and we know it's an issue. The CAQ has been in power for six years."

In a statement, the office of Genevive Guilbault, the province's transport minister, acknowledged that service must be improved. It said it has asked theAutorit rgionale de transport mtropolitain, Montreal's regional transit planning agency, to look for ways to better serve that area.

It also pointed out that $20 million was set aside in the last provincial budget to improve public transit.But the mayors say the current discourse around public transit suggests cuts, not new services, are looming.

On Wednesday evening, Radio-Canada reported that Guilbault has offered to meet with the mayors to discuss the issue. The meeting is expected to take place on Friday.

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After a bumpy 1st year, Montreal's REM says smoother seas lie ahead

2 months ago

Duration 4:20

After a year filled with excitement as well as reliability and accessibility struggles, the developer behind the city's light-rail transit system says staff have gained knowledge and know-how that can be applied to lines set to open in the coming years.