Lac‑Mégantic railway bypass expropriation

Summary#

The Department of Public Works and Government Services published a notice under the Expropriation Act on February 18, 2023 saying the federal government intends to take parts of specific properties in the municipality of Nantes to build and operate a railway that will bypass downtown Lac‑Mégantic. The notice names the landowners and starts a 30‑day window for people to file written objections.

What it does#

• Declares the federal government's intention to expropriate parts of multiple land parcels in Nantes for the construction and operation of a railway bypass around downtown Lac‑Mégantic. The work is for the needs of Transport Canada.
• Covers specific partial lots and surveyed parcels shown on the general plan M2022-10870 attached to the notice.
• Includes not just land ownership but also "immovable real rights" — in plain language, rights that affect the land such as those of tenants.
• The notice was registered in the land register under number 27 853 052 and is signed by Helena Jaczek, Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

Who's affected#

• The notice names these property owners (listed in the Gazette text):
  • Cabane à Sucre Mégantic S.E.N.C.
  • Josée Morin and Sylvain Côté
  • Les Investissements Raypi Inc.
  • Les Opérations Forestières Yves Carrier Inc.
  • Marcel Fortier
• Any tenants or lessees who have rights on the affected parts of those properties.
• Local residents, businesses and travellers in Lac‑Mégantic and Nantes who might be affected later by construction, changes to rail operations, or local traffic — the notice itself does not list all nearby properties or people who will be affected.

Note: the Gazette text gives detailed parcel sizes. Examples from the notice include pieces of land of 266.6 sq. m, 914.7 sq. m, and 25,058.7 sq. m, among others.

Why it matters#

• This is the formal start of a legal process that can transfer private land rights to the federal government for the bypass project. Landowners named in the notice can object in writing within 30‑days to the Minister’s office (the Gazette gives the address and contact details).
• If the project proceeds, it could lead to construction near downtown Lac‑Mégantic with the usual local impacts: construction activity, changed rail routes, and later operation of trains on the new alignment.
• The notice does not detail compensation, timelines for construction, or environmental reviews — those matters would be addressed in separate steps or documents.