Hundreds of Montrealers attended the first environmental hearings for the proposed light rail system on Monday evening.
The $5.5-billion project would connect the West Island, as well as the north and south shores to downtown.
People gathered in Baie-D’Urfé, Brossard and Deux-Montagnes to attend the session via video conference.
“The object of these hearings is to help people understand better this project,” said Luc Nolet with the BAPE’s communications team.
READ MORE: Quebec environmental agency releases impact study on Montreal’s new electric train
Hearings like these are usually prompted by concerned citizens sending letters to the environment minister.
In this case, only one letter was received, but the Caisse de Dépôt decided to hold the hearings anyway.
“For us it’s a major step that we’re going through and we wanted to do it really well and make sure all the questions have been done before we go on,” said Jean-Vincent Lacroix, a spokesperson for the project.
READ MORE: Caisse announces major public transit project to link most of Greater Montreal
The ambitious 67-kilometre project raised many concerns.
The BAPE itself released a 3,000-page assessment.
It questioned the impact the train would have on green spaces, such as the parking lot that was planned to be built near the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue wetlands.
Certain heritage buildings, like the Rodier Building, could be partially demolished.
“It’s an attack on green spaces, through the island and the south shore,” said NDG resident Irwin Rapaport.
“It’s a waste of public money and the REM project is designed to favour only one route.”
The Caisse insisted it has made adjustments based on the BAPE’s environmental assessment.
The organization said it has focused on several major points, including:
- Moving a tunnel heading towards the airport 500 metres away from the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue wetlands.
- Moving a planned parking lot near the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue station to protect the l’Anse-à-l’Orme Nature Park.
- Agreeing to purchase two elevated train tracks from CN Rail to preserve heritage buildings.
- Looking into connecting the McGill and Édouard-Montpetit metro stations to the system.
- Improving public transportation to the train stations so people don’t need to take their cars.
“Another example is the Parc-nature Sources. At first we were passing by this park, but now we decided to pass underground,” Lacroix said.
READ MORE: West Islanders welcome new electric train details
Many agreed the project was necessary for the city.
Questions at the session, however, were still abound.
“We want to know if there are some impacts on the other elements of the network, on the other suburban trains or even the metro. The orange line is already at capacity,” said François Pepin from Transport 2000, a transportation advocacy group.
Monday night’s session was not the only opportunity for people to ask questions.
There will be two more sessions, one at 1:00 p.m. and another at 9:00 p.m. every day until Thursday, Sept. 1.
Comments