CAQ's about-face on tramway project has opposition seething

Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand looks down as he responds to reporters questions after meeting with Quebec Premier Francois Legault over the tramway project, Wednesday, November 8, 2023 in Quebec City. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)

Opposition parties at the National Assembly Thursday denounced the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government's about-face on the Quebec City tramway project.

One day earlier, Premier François Legault rejected Mayor Bruno Marchand's proposal to reduce the project's cost, now estimated at over $8 billion.

Both the Liberal Party (PLQ) and Québec Solidaire (QS) accused the CAQ of being incapable of bringing projects to fruition in the Capitale-Nationale region.

Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault is now proposing to put the tramway in the hands of the Caisse de dépôt, which is expected to table a report in six months on the best way to structure the project.

The Liberal Party's interim leader, Marc Tanguay, described this latest development as a "pig sluice."

QS parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois added this is yet another broken CAQ promise in the Quebec City region, and wondered what Legault's word is really worth.

He also mused about whether Guilbault had been working behind the scenes to torpedo the tramway project to hand it over to the Caisse de dépôt.

QS MNA Sol Zanetti says the move is a form of contempt for the people of Quebec City.

Local officials had proposed taking over management of the tramway project from a private consortium to reduce costs.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 9, 2023.