Press release
Airport shuttle must be connected to Central Station
Montréal, June 16, 2010 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal supports the mixed route proposed for a rail shuttle connecting Montréal-Trudeau Airport to Central Station. This route was unveiled by the president of Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), James C. Cherry, at the Board of Trade’s Strategic Forum on May 18.
Building a rail shuttle between downtown and Montréal-Trudeau is a priority for strengthening the city’s economy. The Board of Trade applauded the Quebec government’s decision to allocate $200 million to the project in its 2010-2011 budget and appointing ADM as the main contractor.
“There is no doubt in our minds that this route will represent the better of the two options,” Michel Leblanc said. “A dedicated train connecting the airport to Central Station will attract more riders. Central Station is the heart of the business centre. It’s connected to Montréal’s underground network and offers quick access to the metro and the commuter train. In short, the Board of Trade supports the project that will be the most profitable, have the most riders and be the most likely to get off the ground quickly.”
“It’s important to make a decision now so that we can get the federal government’s commitment to this priority project as soon as possible,” Mr. Leblanc said. “Since the City of Montréal has made its decision to choose the route to Central Station, the Board of Trade encourages the business community to mobilize to make sure the project gets underway without delay and according to the ADM’s schedule. We have to quickly reach a strong consensus to avoid this project getting bogged down and added to the list of projects that are taking a long time to materialize.”
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
- 30 -
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca