West Island politicians dismiss PQ claims light rail not needed
Do your homework.
That was Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Mayor Paola Hawa’s reaction to the Parti- Québécois’ negative comments about the branch of the light-rail network, the REM, slated to serve the western part of the island.
Last week, PQ MNA Alain Therrien said the branch of the network which will run along the Highway 40 corridor with stops in PointeClaire, Kirkland and Ste-Anne-deBellevue was only included in the REM project after the fact because of pressure from West Island Liberal MNAs Geoffrey Kelley, Carlos Leitão and Martin Coiteux and that there was no need to serve the sector with such a costly public transit project. It was suggested adding morning and weekend departures on the Vaudreuil-Hudson line would be sufficient.
All three MNAs mentioned are cabinet ministers. Coiteux is Minister of Municipal Affairs, Leitão is Finance Minister and Kelley is the Minister responsible for Native Affairs. The PQ had a poster made up showing “La Ligne Rouge” — referencing the Liberal Party colour — with the names of the stops in the three municipalities changed to Leitão, Coiteux and Kelley.
Kelley dismissed the idea that the push for service to the western tip of the island was politically motivated, pointing to the Train de l’Ouest coalition, led by former MNA and MP Clifford Lincoln and West Island mayors, which had lobbied for decades for improved commuter train service in the West Island.
“The existing train service (along Highway 20) is good from nine (a.m.) to five (p.m.),” Kelley said. “But for students or someone who wants to go in to see a hockey game, it doesn’t work.”
“We’ve been asking for this for 20 years,” Hawa said. “I invite them to check out the traffic out here at 3 p.m. How could anyone possibly think there isn’t a need? They should stop playing politics with the needs of the West Island and off island.”
Both Hawa and Kelley said adding commuter departures to the Vaudreuil-Hudson line was a non-starter because that rail line is owned by CP and freight trains have priority. They said the branch of the REM line in question will also serve Vaudreuil-Soulanges commuters who would make their way over the bridge to take the train. The off-island communities including Vaudreuil-Dorion, Pincourt and St-Lazare are among the fastest growing municipalities in the province.
“They clearly aren’t aware of the issues we face in the West Island,” Hawa said. “I don’t know why they are doing this. Why is it OK to connect with the South Shore, but it’s not OK to serve the western part of the island?”
Kelley said the REM will employ the latest in innovative technology and use clean energy.
“After completing study after study after study, the REM is ready to go,” he said. “And we have the financing in place.”
The $6.3-billion REM project is financed by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the provincial and federal governments. It will run 20 hours a day, seven days a week and connect the South Shore, downtown, Deux-Montagnes, the airport and the West Island.
If elected in the October provincial election, the PQ would replace the REM with a plan called Le Grand déblocage, which would involve more express buses, tram lines and the extension of existing commuter train lines at an estimated cost of $7.4 billion.
“What the PQ is proposing would condemn us to 10 years of studies,” Kelley said. “We can’t widen Highway 20 or Highway 40 and they are reaching capacity. If we want people to leave their cars at home and use public transit, it has to be comfortable, reliable and frequent.”