Lac-Mégantic rail bypass route finalized

LAC-MÉGANTIC, Que. – Railway operations in the municipalities of Nantes and Frontenac are being relocated to the adjacent Lac-Mégantic industrial park.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Québec are collaborating with the City of Lac-Mégantic and the neighbouring municipalities of Frontenac and Nantes, to carry out the railway bypass project.

“The transfer of rail operations to the Lac-Mégantic industrial park is an important step in the rail bypass project. It was a request made to me by several family members of the victims at a meeting last year, as well as by the community,” said transport minister Marc Garneau.

“I am very pleased with this result and we will continue to work with municipalities and citizens to carry out this important social reconstruction project.”

The improvements will be funded jointly by the federal and provincial governments and will be included in the plans and specifications of the overall Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project.

The choice of the final route is based on a number of studies carried out as part of the feasibility study conducted by the town of Lac-Mégantic. The Government of Canada is responding to the demands of the citizens and mayors of Lac-Mégantic, Nantes and Frontenac, while continuing to work closely with provincial, municipal and industry stakeholders.

“The various consultation mechanisms for the Lac-Mégantic bypass project have allowed the public to express clearly their desire to relocate the Nantes and Frontenac railway operations to the Lac-Mégantic industrial park,” said François Jacques, member of parliament for Mégantic, . With this announcement, the Government of Quebec is demonstrating their listening and solidarity with the citizens of Lac-Mégantic.”

The federal government will fund 60 percent of the project while the Government of Quebec will fund the remaining 40 percent.

In addition to enhancing security, the relocation will reduce the noise generated by locomotives marshalling rail cars in Nantes and Frontenac and disrupting the residents living near the existing railroad.

For more information about the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/lac-megantic-bypass.html.