QUESTION PERIOD — Public Services and Procurement
Purchase of Quebec Bridge
May 22, 2024
Senator Gold, my question relates to the Quebec Bridge. The Prime Minister’s office indicated there would be an investment of $1 billion for the repair and maintenance of the Quebec Bridge in part because it is “. . . a critical regional transportation link, a strategic freight corridor, and an important element of the Canadian supply chain . . . .”
Senator Gold, could you more fully explain why the Government of Canada is buying the Quebec Bridge at this time?
Thank you. I will attempt to add to my answer from the other day.
For those who have been to Quebec City or have travelled there, the bridge is not only an important transportation link but a heritage jewel that I would hope makes Quebec City and other Canadians proud. Repatriating this essential and historical infrastructure allows the government to assure its long-term viability.
As you may know, the purchase was for a symbolic amount of $1, although it is true that serious investments will be made by the federal government, the Canadian National Railway Company, or CN, and the Quebec government to provide the necessary repairs and ensure its long-term viability. In that regard the government is doing what it believes is appropriate to secure the long-term viability of this important infrastructure.
Thank you for that answer, Senator Gold.
As a matter of regional fairness — and given that other projects in Canada, such as the Champlain Bridge in Quebec, were fully funded by the federal government up to $4.1 billion, and considering what we’re doing with the Quebec Bridge — why is it not in the interest of Canada to look at the critical transportation link and heritage and ecological sensitivities around the Chignecto Isthmus and come back to the negotiation table?
Thank you for your question and for your continued advocacy on this particular issue. Discussions have taken place, and I have every confidence they will continue to take place. It is the position and understanding of the Canadian government that this is an important link, and the Canadian government will continue to discuss the partnerships and sharing of costs that are appropriate in such a case.
