Statement - Railway bypass: the Government of Canada will do its part

OTTAWA, Jan. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, made the following statement today:

"I am pleased to announce today that the federal government will contribute a substantial sum toward the construction of a bypass railway line in Lac-Mégantic.

The bypass project is a complex one, which I have been working on since I began my duties as Minister of Transport. There is still a lot of work to do with the Government of Quebec on cost sharing, and with the municipalities on finalizing the route, which is why the exact amount of the federal contribution is yet to be confirmed.

My goal is to be able to announce the details before the fifth anniversary of the tragedy. Therefore, I am now inviting the provincial and municipal governments to collaborate with us to complete this project as soon as possible. 

I have had the opportunity to go to Lac-Mégantic three times to meet citizens, to hear their concerns and to personally witness the trauma they are living through.

For me, this bypass line is much more than a railway infrastructure project. It is rather a social rebuilding project for the people of Lac-Mégantic.

The tragedy of July 6, 2013, will remain etched in the memory of all Canadians. I therefore want the people of Lac- Mégantic to know that the Government of Canada has heard them and is behind them."

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SOURCE Transport Canada