“It’s not just a fad,” tramway project received $160 million for its next phase 

Gatineau’s tramway project has officially received the funding to embark on its next phase. This green light will allow the project task team to begin technical and environmental studies.

Djeneba Dosso

On June 27, the mayor was joined by ministers, councillors, MPs and STO representatives to announce the receipt of $163.5 million toward the next phase of the Gatineau tramway project. Of the large sum, the Government of Quebec has invested $98.1 million, covering 60 per cent of the cost, with the remaining amount funded by the federal government.  This next stage of the first three-year phase will be focused on pre-drafting for the project office, which will conduct environmental impact assessments, preparatory engineering work and reviews of preliminary designs.

“This announcement shows once again that our government is continuing its work to offer its population a Quebec that will always be greener, more prosperous and prouder,” said Suzanne Tremblay, MP for Hull. “As we all know, projects like this one are not only important and improve mobility, but they also contribute to economic development [and] reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. So, I’m very, very proud to improve mobility here at home, in the Outaouais region.”

While the funding allowed the project office to receive the green light to begin the planning phase, the elephant in the room – Ontario – did not go unnoticed. The province next-door, who has yet to invest in the project, accounts for 2 km, and two stops of the tramway line.

Mathieu Lacombe, the Minister responsible for Youth and for the Outaouais region believes connectivity between the two cities will create a high-performance public transport service that’s reliable and meets the needs of commuters for employment, education and leisure.

“To do that, of course, all the financing has to be secured; you all understand that I’m talking about the Ontario portion of the project that must also be financed,” he said.

Nonetheless, the Outaouais plans to continue spearheading the project which will meet the demand of its growing population, expected to reach a 73 per cent increase over the next 25 years.

“We’re expecting 100,000 new residents by 2050 in Aylmer, and our demographic projections for the City of Gatineau in 2021 are at the levels we were expecting for 2031,” stated Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, Gatineau mayor. “That’s how fast we’re growing and how much we need this project — it’s not just a fad.”

The tramway which is projected to carry 30,000 daily passengers as soon as it comes in service will be designed as an alternative to cars. Cheaper than a light rail and able to transport three times more people than a Rapibus, the 100 per cent electric rapid transit will have a frequency of 3 to 6 minutes during rush hour and its own individual lane to avoid traffic jams.

“It’s not just a mode of transport for people going to work, it’s really for everyone, and it’s a transformative project for our region in terms of transport,” added the mayor. “The STO is going to do just that; it’s going to organize the feeder lines and the bus lines that are going to make it easier to get to and from [destinations.]”

The STO’s task team, which is currently made up of 27 members, has a long to-do list before reaching the completion of the pre-draft phase. This includes urban development studies around the tramway corridor, travel and public transport in relation to active vehicles. In other words, what’s going to happen on the roads surrounding the tramway in terms of street parking, vehicle and bicycle lanes, sidewalks and green space. Their research will also target finding the right location for stations and interchanging hubs in a way that benefits municipal services and local residents. Additionally, studies on everything below the ground and the environmental impacts of the project will be covered in collaboration with Hydro-Québec and Gassifère.

“So, as you can see, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Edmond Leclair, STO Vice-President and representative for the City of Gatineau. “But we’ve also got a great team of professionals who are going to get the job done. In fact, I think we were in a hurry to get the green light today.”

Photo caption: The Gatineau tramway project will be entering its next phase following the receipt of a $163.5 million investment from the federal and provincial governments. On Thursday, Gatineau mayor, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette was joined by MPs, councillors, ministers and STO representatives to announce the exciting news. Pictured from left to right: Mathieu Lévesque, Robert Bussière, Steven MacKinnon, Mathieu Lacombe, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, Suzanne Tremblay, Sophie Chatel, Greg Fergus and Edmond Leclair. 

Photo credit: Djeneba Dosso.