The expansion of public transit to the east end of Montreal and beyond has long been a contentious subject, but a group of mayors got together on Monday to tell the province they know exactly what they want.
Flanked by the mayors of Terrebonne, Mascouche, Repentigny and Montreal East, Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer announced the five of them are in agreement about what the future of public transit between Montreal and their cities should look like.
“There was a consensus amongst the mayors of Laval, Terrebonne, Mascouche, Montreal East and Repentigny that this is the option that for us makes the most sense,” Boyer said of the “horseshoe” route being demanded.
They want a rapid transit route that will connect with the REM and Montreal metro. In the north it would link the Montreal metro to eastern Laval, Terrebonne and Mascouche.
To the east it would go all the way to Repentigny, and have a stop in Montreal East.
“The population really wants this station,” said Montreal East mayor Anne St-Laurent.
Once upon a time, the Caisse de Dépôt was supposed to expand the REM to the east, but they pulled out after disagreements about elevated tracks in Montreal.
Now the Quebec Transport Ministry and the Montreal Regional Transport Authority (ARTM) are in the midst of studying multiple scenarios to bring rapid transit to these communities. Their final report is due in two months.
“Let’s go forward with it and let’s try to focus on how we can make it happen,” said Boyer.
The mayor of Montreal East says a station in her area would help increase the 4,400-person population, and make it a more attractive home base for businesses.
The mayor of Laval sees similar potential with a station in the eastern part of his island.
Mascouche, Terrebonne and Repentigny have seen steady population growth, and a lack of options for people wanting to travel by public transit both to Montreal and between the different suburbs.
“We can’t wait any longer,” said Repentigny mayor Nicolas Dufour. “Our population has been waiting long enough.”
Dufour said he wants to see the process move quickly, fearing that if ground is not broken before municipal and provincial elections in 2026, the project will again end up in limbo.
The ARTM and the Transport Ministry both told Global News the project is still being studied, and the results of their research will be revealed in June.