Québec City, November 26, 2015 – This morning the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal tabled its brief before the Québec National Assembly supporting the lion’s share of Bill 76. During his presentation before a parliamentary committee, Board of Trade President and CEO Michel Leblanc argued that the reform of the public transit system will benefit the city’s economic development.
“Having an efficient public transit system throughout the territory is a priority for the city’s business community,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “The cumulative delays and cost overruns have become an embarrassment for the entire metropolitan area and have resulted in endless frustrations. Private investments around these projects are not being made at the pace they should under normal circumstances. Reforming the current system has become a necessity to improve the offer, streamline the network and create greater consistency for users.”
Create an efficient governance framework
“Bill 76 in large part echoes the recommendations of the Côté-Séguin Report, published in 2010 by the Board of Trade,” said Michel Leblanc. “To strengthen our public transit system, we have to clarify roles in terms of investment planning and operations and align strategies in the city’s Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan. Authorities will also have to give independent directors a predominant role, while ensuring that Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) elected officials participate fully in decisions about planning and operations.”
Simplify the use of public transit
“For the city’s business community, it is important to introduce rates based on clear, transparent criteria, but most importantly rates that are simplified, integrated and consistent throughout the territory,” Michel Leblanc said. “Public transit has become too complex in the metropolitan area, which is preventing people from using it and in turn increasing traffic congestion. From this perspective, we need to align projects that will now be the purview of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec with rates for the Autorité du réseau de transport métropolitain and the single window of access introduced, to facilitate modal transfers among users. Agreements with the Caisse on the rates for these services will be indispensable for system-wide consistency.”
Diversify sources of financing
“The bill does not really address the sources of financing to develop and maintain transportation infrastructures,” Michel Leblanc said. “And yet this is a major challenge if we want to significantly improve the state of strategic infrastructures in the city. The Board of Trade has made its views known on the topic on a number of occasions, and in the metropolitan context, we recommend three sources of financing to assess and then institute: a gradual and reasonable increase in the gas tax in the short term, the application of a kilometre tax in the medium term and land value capture.”
“Finally, the transition between organizations should be done quickly so as not to hamper the development of infrastructure projects and user services,” Michel Leblanc said.
The Board of Trade’s recommendations are as follows:
- Develop an efficient governance framework which will speed up the development of our public transit infrastructures and align the deployment of transit infrastructures with land-use planning;
- Simplify how public transit is used for the public through integrated, consistent rate grid across the metropolitan area and a single window of access;
- Diversify sources of financing to maintain our public transit infrastructures and to develop new ones.
To consult the Board of Trade’s brief, click here. (In French only – English to come)
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
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Source:
Guillaume Bérubé
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4042
gberube@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
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