Lac‑Mégantic railway bypass expropriation

Summary#

This is a federal Notice of Intention to Expropriate under the Expropriation Act, published on February 18, 2023. The government says it needs many specific parcels of land in the city of Lac‑Mégantic to build and operate a railway that will bypass the downtown area.

What it does#

• Names dozens of specific parcels and parts of lots in the Registration Division of Frontenac (listed as Articles 1 to 26) that the federal government intends to take.
• Says the lands are needed for the construction and operation of a railway bypassing downtown Lac‑Mégantic.
• Asks the land registrar to register this notice and the attached plan (M2022-10870) in the land registry.
• Gives owners and others a chance to object in writing within 30 days of publication.
• Provides a contact for more information: Nicholas Chan, Regional Director, phone 438‑334‑1434 or toll free 1‑833‑381‑1630, email TPSGC.RQMegantic‑QRMegantic.PWGSC@tpsgc‑pwgsc.gc.ca.

Who's affected#

• The named property owners and organizations listed in the notice, including people such as Joseph Vallée, Pauline Roy, and Stéphane Lavallée, and entities such as Lake Megantic Pulp Inc., Tafisa Canada Inc., Coop de vie communautaire La Chaîne, and the City of Lac‑Mégantic.
• Any lessees or other parties with real rights on those parcels (the notice says it includes immovable real rights and lessees’ rights).
• Neighbours, businesses, and residents near the proposed bypass route who could see changes in land use, access, or local traffic.
• It is not clear from this notice whether any Indigenous interests are affected.

Why it matters#

• Expropriation would transfer private land to the federal government for a public project. That can affect homes, businesses, farms, or community properties along the route.
• Building a rail bypass around downtown could change where trains travel through the town, and could change local traffic, land use, noise, and development patterns.
• Affected owners have a limited window (30 days) to raise formal objections or seek more information; the notice does not spell out compensation details in this text.