Return of the passenger train to Gaspé: “We are aiming for 2026,” says Legault

Prime Minister François Legault, accompanied by deputies from Gaspé and Bonaventure.

• Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon (Consult the profile)Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon

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While passing through New Carlisle, the Prime Minister of Quebec said he hoped for a return of the passenger train to Gaspé by 2026, at the same time as the return of the train of goods.

François Legault thus announced the launch of four calls for tenders, published by the end of the year ;year, to rehabilitate the third section of the Gaspésie railway, between Port-Daniel–Gascons and Gaspé.

These calls for tenders should make it possible, barring unforeseen circumstances, to complete the final rehabilitation of the railway in 2026.

Goods are “candy”, and with VIA Rail, we hope that we will have passengers in 2026, declared François Legault.

He also noted that there is an openness on the part of VIA Rail, as the company had suggested after its meeting with the Coalition of Gaspésiens for the return of the passenger train.

We hope to be able to confirm that soon, added Mr. Legault.

To date, more than $310 million has been committed to the rehabilitation of the Gaspésie railway, across all three sections. Ultimately, more than $870 million will be invested in the project, according to Quebec.

For the president of the Société du chemin de fer de Gaspésie, Éric Dubé, this call for tenders respects the timetable set by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to complete the rehabilitation of the Gaspé railway.

As long as the ministry respects its tender schedule, normally there should be no delay, he said.

The president of the Société du chemin de fer de la Gaspésie, Éric Dubé, accompanied by Prime Minister François Legault.

As for the return of the train passengers in 2026, the elected official noted that it is a question of will not only on the part of the government but also of VIA Rail, whose president and CEO will be visiting New Richmond in early 2024.

The issue is at the level of VIA Rail, so I will not answer for them, he indicated.

Éric Dubé added that However, there will be challenges to overcome in terms of equipment and human resources on the company side.

After meeting municipal elected officials from the constituency of Gaspé on Thursday, François Legault met with those of Bonaventure on Friday noon.

The mayor of Chandler, Gilles Daraîche, was present and left satisfied with this meeting.

The elected official indicated that the Prime Minister listened to the twenty Gaspé elected officials present.

We expressed our concerns and our needs. We all have pretty much the same [concerns]. We are very happy to have been listened to. It will work its way out, he believes.

François Legault was greeted on his arrival in Bonaventure by around twenty demonstrators from the Common Front, on site to press the government to reach an agreement with their unions on the renewal of their collective agreements, a few days before three consecutive days of strike, planned for next week.

Protesters awaited the arrival of François Legault in Bonaventure.

Representatives of Gaspé unions affiliated to the Common Front were also able to meet the Prime Minister for around twenty minutes to present their grievances.

Anne Bernier , president of the Union of Education Workers of Eastern Quebec, says she is satisfied with the exchange.

The Prime Minister was made aware of our [concerns], […] the regional disparity, the local [problems], the labor shortage, the retention of staff… There were nice exchanges , she said.

Friday morning, François Legault was in Gaspé to inaugurate the new seniors' home in Rivière-au-Renard .

With the collaboration of Jean-François Deschênes

• Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon (View profile)Pierre Chapdelaine de MontvalonFollow