Quebecers are getting a first look the possible environmental impact of a high speed electric train connecting the north shore, south shore, West Island and Trudeau Airport.
The province’s environmental protection agency (BAPE) made its impact studies public Thursday.
The project proposed by Quebec’s pension fund manager, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, would operate on 67 km of electric train tracks heading in four directions from central station.
The price of the project is pegged at $5.5 billion.
READ MORE: Caisse announces major public transit project to link most of Greater Montreal
The trains would operate seven days a week, with service 20 hours per day, and the proposal suggests the first phase could to go into service as early as 2020.
The 2,000-page impact study indicates the construction would threaten fish populations and wildlife in rivers and streams around the island of Montreal, see large land expropriation and the loss of farmland and wooded areas on the south shore.
It would also have a detrimental effect on sound levels, dust pollution and traffic during construction.
The impact studies suggest that CDPQ Infra., a subsidiary set up by the Caisse, would, among other things, expropriate all, or part, of several lots along the tracks leading to the West Island.
The expropriations would be conducted in order to build:
- 16 km of electric track heading west from Highway 13
- Five new electric train stations at: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Kirkland, Pointe-Claire, des Sources and Highway 13
- Four new West Island bus depots and four new parking lots at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Pointe-Claire, Kirkland and Highway 13 stations
- Construct raised viaducts carrying the tracks over Hymus/Henri-Bourassa, Alfred-Nobel to the east, Marie-Curie, Fréderic-Banting, Albert-Einstein et Alexander-Flemming
- Creation of an electric train tunnel under the runways at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport
For the south shore, the impact study indicates the project would include:
- A 300-spot parking lot and bus terminal on land zoned agricultural in Brossard at Highway 10 and Highway 30
- A 700-spot parking lot and bus terminal on Panama Street in Brossard
- A train station on Nun’s Island
- A 3 km tunnel under the Lachine Canal in the Port
Heading north, the impact study indicates the project would:
- Transform 31 km of existing rail track towards Deux-Montagnes into electric tracks
- Retro-fit 12 existing train stations
- Build two light rail bridges over Rivière des Prairies and Rivière des Mille-Îles
The environmental repercussions outlined by the BAPE include, but are not limited to:
- A risk to fish habitats in the waters around l’île-des-Soeurs, Rivière des Prairies, Rivière des Mille-Îles, des Prairies Stream and Bertrand Stream
- Destruction of aquatic habitats in the de Prairies Stream
- Disturbance of migration for fish and birds
- Loss of wetlands
- Impacts on water quality in construction zones
- Loss of agricultural land
- Loss of woodlands in Brossard/Bois de la Prairie/Carignan
- Impact on sound levels
- Traffic, noise and dust pollution during construction
- Expropriation of land and servitudes
- Construction at night
People can log onto the BAPE website to review the full impact studies, or show up in person at any of the following locations:
- Bibliothèque de Verdun (5955 Bannantyne Street)
- Bibliothèque de Saint-Henri (4707 Notre-Dame Street Ouest)
- Bibliothèque Georges-Vanier (2540 Workman Street)
- Bibliothèque de Côte-des-Neiges (5290 Côte-des-Neiges Road)
- Bibliothèque de Salaberry (4170 de Salaberry Street)
- Bibliothèque Yves-Thériault (670 de la Place Publique Street)
- Bibliothèque Georgette-Lepage (7855 San Francisco Avenue)
- Bibliothèque de Roxboro (110 Cartier Street)
- Bibliothèque de Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (40 Saint-Pierre Street)
- Bibliothèque de Kirkland (17100 Hymus Boulevard)
- Bibliothèque de Pointe-Claire (100 Douglas-Shand Avenue)
- Bibliothèque de Deux-Montagnes (200 Henri-Dunant Street)
- Bibliothèque de Dorval (1401 Bord du Lac Road)
- Bibliothèque Mont Royal (1967 Graham Boulevard)
The public has until Sept. 12 to make a request for formal public hearings into the project.
READ MORE: Montreal West mayor urges Transport Minister to improve train service
Any requests have to be submitted, in writing, to the environment ministry at 675 René-Lévesque Boulevard Est, 30th floor, Quebec, G1R 5V7.
The request should indicated the person’s concerns, specifying which area the project threatens.
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