Is Montreal mayor Valerie Plante’s pink metro line one step closer to reality? It may very well be, according to a recent publication by the provincial Liberal party. Quebec’s transport minister admits it’s a possibility that will ultimately be up to local decision-makers.
“We’re certainly not going to get in the way of the pink line,” Transport Minister André Fortin said late Monday afternoon. “We want to invest in public transit but we know that the cities are the best ones to come up with the best infrastructure needs.”
It’s no secret that Montreal’s transit system is in need of major work. Revamping the entire system is one of Projet Montreal’s raison-d’etre. After months of speculation there are signs that a pink line may very well get the green light from the provincial Liberals.
A recent publication outlining the Liberal party’s strategies over the next four years includes the creation of a new metro line as the second priority for the Montreal region.
“We’re absolutely thrilled that the Quebec government is pushing forward on these kinds of initiatives. We need to get people around the city and our roads are reaching capacity,” STM vice-chair Craig Sauvé said.
Quebec’s Transport Minister André Fortin insists his government is ready to commit and calls on municipalities to make the decision.
“We want to invest in public transit, the federal government wants to invest so the timing is right for municipalities to bring their projects forward,” Fortin told Global News.
Meanwhile, the former vice-chair of the STM would rather see the government focus on fulfilling previous promises like extending the blue line first. A promise he insists dates back to 1985.
“If we’re trying to tell people you’re going to have service soon, that’s not the case,” city councillor Marvin Rotrand said.
“The proposal for the pink line isn’t a bad idea but it’s four-times longer than the blue line extension and much more complex and costly.”
A new study by the Communauté metropolitaine de Montréal reveals that Montrealers aren’t embracing public transit as rapidly as people in other major North American cities. Two out of three people still prefer to commute by car.
On the upside, people living near train and metro stations are much more prone to take public transit, meaning more metro lines could pay off in getting Montrealers to leave their cars behind.