Advertisement

Montreal, Quebec lawmakers divided over transit funding

Click to play video: 'Opposition grows between transport minister, Quebec mayors over who should cover public transit bill'
Opposition grows between transport minister, Quebec mayors over who should cover public transit bill
WATCH: There appears to be a strong disconnect between provincial and municipal lawmakers over who should fund the rising deficits of public transit agencies. And riders are the ones caught in the middle as threats to service cuts loom larger. City leaders want the Quebec government to absorb most of the transit deficits. The transport minister replying that it's not the province’s responsibility. Global's Tim Sargeant reports. – Oct 27, 2023

There is a deep divide between municipal and provincial lawmakers about how the operating deficits of the public transit agencies in greater Montreal should be funded.

City leaders are calling on the Quebec government to absorb 75 per cent of the projected deficits of $532 million next year.

The province is intending to cover a fraction of the amount, between 20 and 25 per cent, arguing that setting transit budgets is not its responsibility.

Click to play video: 'How transit riders in Quebec might pay the price for huge deficit'
How transit riders in Quebec might pay the price for huge deficit

“Deficits are the responsibility of municipalities, not the governments,” Geneviève Guilbault, the transport minister, said Friday afternoon.

Story continues below advertisement

Guilbault insists the government already financially bailed out the transit agencies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when ridership and revenues plummeted.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

She estimates the number of users has returned to 80 per cent of the pre-pandemic levels.

Guilbault says the government has also invested record amounts of money in transit development projects, such as the extension of the STM’s metro blue line to Anjou.

But the spending has to stop.

”You cannot think that the government has the money to pay for 75 per cent of deficits on which we have absolutely no control. This is not a normal situation,” Guilbault said.

Guilbault says the province doesn’t have any input on the operating budgets of the transit agencies and it’s not up to the government to decide how transit operators should save money.

Click to play video: 'Public transit agencies say Quebec needs to invest more, current offer too low'
Public transit agencies say Quebec needs to invest more, current offer too low

Concerns are growing that some cuts to service are imminent if the government doesn’t absorb more of the transit deficits.

Story continues below advertisement

”There is no way, no one wants to cut into services. No one should be wanting that. It’s not an option,” Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told Global News.

More meetings between the transport minister and municipal leaders are planned in the near future.

Click to play video: 'Blue line metro expansion project once again delayed'
Blue line metro expansion project once again delayed

Sponsored content

AdChoices