Lac‑Mégantic railway bypass expropriation

Summary#

The federal government, through Public Works and Government Services, published a notice saying it intends to take ownership of multiple small parcels of land in the municipality of Frontenac, Quebec. The land would be used to build and operate a railway that bypasses the downtown area of Lac‑Mégantic. The notice was published February 18, 2023 and gives affected people a limited time to object (30 days).

What it does#

• Declares the intention to expropriate specific parts of many lots in Frontenac for the construction and exploitation of a railway bypassing downtown Lac‑Mégantic.
• Covers the taking of land and "immovable real rights," which the notice says includes the rights of any tenants or lessees on those parcels.
• Lists the specific parcels and their sizes in Articles 1–11 of the notice (survey plans are referenced).
• Plans and technical descriptions were prepared by Maxime Bourgeois, land surveyor, on September 22, 2022, and a general plan was prepared on December 21, 2022.
• The notice cites the Expropriation Act and says the lands are needed for Transport Canada.
• The government asked the Land Registrar to record the notice and attached plans in the land register (file number 27 853 050).
• The notice was signed/issued by Helena Jaczek (Minister of Public Works and Government Services).
• If someone objects, they must send a written objection to the Minister’s regional office within 30 days of the Gazette publication.

Who's affected#

• The individual and corporate landowners named in the notice, including (first mention in this section shown in bold):
  • Jean‑Guy Couture
  • Roger Carrier
  • Céline Lessard
  • R.P. Carrier Inc.
  • AT Capital Inc. and 9064‑0350 Québec Inc.
  • Denis Vachon
  • Émilien Mercier
  • François Gendron
  • Kurt Lucas and Monique Lacroix
  • Guy Nadeau and Renée‑Claude Drouin
  • Tanya Ouellette and David Boulet
• Any tenants or lessees with rights on those parcels (the notice says these rights are included).
• Local residents, businesses, or travellers in and around Lac‑Mégantic and Frontenac may notice construction or changes in rail routing, since the project is described as a bypass of the downtown area.
• If it is unclear whether your property is included, the detailed parcel descriptions and plans in the notice (and the land register entry 27 853 050) should be checked.

For questions or to send an objection the notice lists contact details for Nicholas Chan, Regional Director, Real Estate Services (Regional office in Montréal), and provides a phone number and email.

Why it matters#

• Property rights: people listed as owners or tenants could lose land or have rights taken, so they need to act quickly if they want to object or seek compensation.
• Local rail routing: building a bypass can change where trains run through the Lac‑Mégantic area. That can affect traffic, noise, safety, and local planning.
• Public record: the intention and the precise parcel plans are officially filed (land register number 27 853 050), meaning the process has moved beyond early planning and is now a formal step toward taking the land.