Ottawa confirms financing for Lac-Mégantic bypass rail line

The federal government is confirming it will play a major role in financing the long-sought bypass rail line around Lac-Megantic.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau said on Tuesday that Ottawa will contribute what he called a “substantial sum” for the bypass track.

Residents of the Quebec town have been calling for the new track, which would steer trains away from the downtown core, ever since the July 2013 tragedy in which 47 people were killed.

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A runaway train derailed and exploded after it was improperly parked and destroyed part of Lac-Megantic’s downtown.

READ MORE: Danielle Smith: Making sense of the Lac Megantic verdict

Garneau says Ottawa will not be releasing the amount of its investment because many cost-sharing details have yet to be negotiated with the provincial government.

He says he is aiming to release the federal government’s financial plan for the bypass track by this July, the five-year anniversary of the tragedy.