Federal and Quebec governments under pressure to finance Montreal train project

The project’s price increased by $400 million with Friday’s announcement of three new underground stations that will shorten travel times to the downtown core and relieve congestion on one of the city’s most crowded subway lines.

One of the stations near the University of Montreal will be 70 metres below ground, requiring elevators to transport riders up 20 floors to the surface in 20 seconds.

Another will be located under water, with exits to up-and-coming neighbourhoods of Griffintown and Pointe-Saint-Charles.

The 27-station network will connect to Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, allowing passengers to get downtown in about 20 minutes.

Sabia said the system of electric trains is exactly the type of project that Ottawa should want to support as it spends more on infrastructure and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He said the pension fund manager’s involvement can be a model for other Canadian projects while freeing up government spending.

“As Canadians and Quebecers we have to get past this notion that the only source of funding for public services is the government,” he told reporters.

Sabia expects the two levels of government will announce their financial support within the next four months.

A formal request was submitted to Ottawa on Thursday.

A spokeswoman for Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi said the government’s goal is to support public transit for Montrealers and people across Canada.

“We are delivering on our commitment by investing more than $180 billion over 12 years to create long-term growth and jobs for the middle class, create a low carbon, green economy, and improve social inclusion,” Brook Simpson wrote in an email.

Follow @RossMarowits on Twitter.

Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version stated Ottawa would spend $120 billion on infrastructure funding over 10 years.

by Canadian Press

Federal and Quebec governments under pressure to finance Montreal train project

What's Happening