Tramway: Ottawa and Quebec will not compensate traders

It does not fit into our programsPierre-Yves Bourque, Director of Communications at the Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, François-Philippe Champagne.

According to him, the $ 1.2 billion contribution from the federal government, confirmed earlier this week, must be used strictly for the structuring public transit network project.

Same story on the side of the Ministry of Transport of Quebec (MTQ). The Labeaume administration will not be able to draw on the $ 1.8 billion planned by the Legault government to mitigate the impact of the tramway project.

Disbursements related to the financial compensation of merchants affected by the work are not eligible expensessays Émilie Lord, spokesperson for the MTQ.

A program in development

It is impossible to know at this time the extent or nature of the compensation contemplated by the City of Quebec during the tramway project.

Without the support of higher levels of government, will Quebec City have the means to put in place a generous compensation program?

It is certain that eventually there will be one, assures the vice-president of the executive committee, Marie-Josée Savard.

Québec City has budgeted $ 300 million for urban development along the route of the structuring network. The Labeaume administration proposes to finance a compensation program within this envelope.

Marie-Josée Savard believes that it is however much too early to determine the extent to which merchants will be compensated.

How will it be detailed, how will it be broken, I have no idea.

On Tuesday, the City of Quebec recalled that there was no question of financially compensating merchants in the Sainte-Foy sector during the repairs to the road of the Church.

An advertising campaign will be launched next week to encourage people to visit the commercial artery.

4 years of construction

Certainly, the tramway project is already one of the largest ever undertaken in the history of Quebec City.

Work has begun on the development of the Saint-Roch and D'Estimauville poles. The construction of the Sainte-Anne Park and Ride and Wildlife Park is also progressing well.

Construction of the maintenance center and tram platforms is scheduled to begin in 2022.

The progressive commissioning of the structuring transport network is planned for 2026.