Press release
Forum on transportation infrastructure:
Concrete proof of the vitality of projects in Montreal
Montreal, May 20, 2011 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal today held the second edition of its Strategic Forum on Transportation with Quebec Minister of Transport Sam Hamad and Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay in attendance. Over 450 decision-makers from the business community heard a progress report on a number of major transportation projects.
“Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated provided an advance look at the project to replace the Champlain Bridge,” said Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “We are satisfied to see that the government corporation’s work is advancing, and we hope we will soon have confirmation of the Government of Canada’s commitment to the project.”
“We also heard that the plan to renew metro cars, which seemed stalled this time last year, is back in motion,” Mr. Leblanc said. “Repairs to the Turcot interchange and the development of space along the Lachine Canal are now well under way. We still need to ensure that mitigation measures will be implemented as quickly as possible to deal with major traffic disruptions caused by the project.”
“Quebec’s Minister of Transport, Sam Hamad, has effectively intervened on a number of key issues for the city,” said Mr. Leblanc. “The Board of Trade is particularly pleased with Minister Hamad and Mayor Tremblay’s response to its request about the decision to go ahead with developing the entrances to the Port of Montreal.”
Furthermore, the Board of Trade welcomes Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay’s announcement about putting together an advisory committee on the tramway project. “Equipping Montreal with a modern tramway could stimulate certain areas of the city,” Mr. Leblanc said. “That said, the issue of financing remains to be clarified, but the Board of Trade will collaborate with the Ville de Montréal to examine ways to bring this project to fruition.”
“The list of major transportation projects is impressive: with the possible deployment of electric cars, the construction of a high-speed rail link to the United States, the acquisition of new-generation buses, the tramway, the electrification of trains, the extension of the metro and the infrastructure required for the road network, there is no shortage of promising projects,” Mr. Leblanc said. “The challenge is to properly prioritize them and ensure that financing is available.
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.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca