CAQ vows to cut red tape, restart Quebec’s economy

Bill 61 would fast-track more than 200 construction projects

Streamline, deregulate, accelerate.

The Coalition Avenir Québec government Wednesday pulled out all the stops to fight off the looming recession, tabling sweeping omnibus legislation designed to restart the Quebec economy using the state’s own clout to compensate for the loss of private spending in the post pandemic period.

And if it means cutting a few corners to get the job done, so be it.

In all, 202 infrastructure, education and health construction and renovation projects — either underway or to come — will be getting the red-carpet treatment as Quebec moves to cut red tape and buttress an economy headed into the worst recession since the Second World War.

The legislation, Bill 61, dovetails with Quebec’s announcement in May to accelerate $2.9 billion in infrastructure projects to bring the total spending for 2020 to $14 billion.

“The bill I tabled this morning will permit us to act on several fronts and to limit the consequences of the pandemic on our economic activities,” Treasury Board President Christian Dubé said at a news conference.

“If I went at the normal speed in asking for approval of work, even on lands already owned by the government of Quebec, I would have significant delays before being able to issue a construction permit.”

Dubé insisted, however, that the legislation — which the government hopes to fast track into law before the legislature recesses for summer on June 12 — does not mean compromises on such things as environmental impact assessment to push controversial projects forward.

It just means the process will be speeded up.

“We will not be going against any law or regulations,” Dubé said. “What we are going to do is ensure the (government’s approval) timelines, some would call this the bureaucracy, be more agile.

“Projects which need a BAPE (impact assessments conducted by the Bureau d’audiences publique sur l’environnement) will get a BAPE. We’re not changing the rules, we’re not changing law. We are saying: Can you do something that normally takes nine months in three?”

A clause in the bill, nevertheless, does offer a company the possibility of paying financial compensation to the ministry of the environment for the authorization of activities in the habitat of a threatened or vulnerable plant species or wildlife. Dubé noted such arrangements are already permitted.

The bill also refers to “streamlining” the expropriation procedure in the case of Montreal’s Réseau électrique métrpolitain (REM) extension to the South Shore, the blue and yellow métro lines and the Quebec City tramway.

Among the biggest chunk of projects is the construction of 48 new ultra-modern seniors’ residences, the Maisons des aînés, which the CAQ promised in the 2018 election campaign as an alternative to the CHSLD network.

“I think 99 per cent of these projects are already on the books,” Dubé said. “Yes, the Maison des aînés are identified with the CAQ, but I am not ashamed of that.”

Dubé also gave assurances the integrity of the government tendering system will remain intact despite the fact the bill allows every level of government to spend at warp speed and there are fears that could open the door to corruption.

Overall, the government has identified 39 projects in the education sector — elementary and high school renovations and new construction — plus 90 others in the health sector.

There are also 34 highway construction projects, including the widening of Highway 15 to Laval plus 23 economic development projects, including improvements to the rail lines in Gaspé and the Appalachian-maine Hydro-québec power corridor proposal.

On hand for the news conference, Finance Minister Eric Girard also announced he will table a provincial economic update on June 19. Girard has already warned Quebecers to prepare for years of deficits.

Business groups Wednesday welcomed the legislation. Caught off-guard, the flustered opposition parties warned the government it cannot expect a free ride.

“We are going to rigorously examine all the elements,” Liberal house leader Marc Tanguay told the legislature.