Fund Montréal East End transit

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to fund improved safe, reliable public transit in Montréal’s East End (Rivière‑des‑Prairies, Pointe‑aux‑Trembles). The government responds that it provides federal transit funding and collaborates with Quebec and municipalities.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Due to limited public transit access in Montréal’s East End, residents of Rivière-des-Prairies and Pointe-aux-Trembles must endure long commutes when travelling to and from other parts of the Island of Montréal; The disparity between public transit in the East End and the West End highlights a significant gap between the regions, with unsafe, unreliable and inadequate transit conditions for East End residents compared with those in the West End; and Although several public transit projects have been proposed for the East End of Montréal, their implementation remains incomplete and, consequently, East End residents demand that public authorities deliver additional and improved public transit solutions, without delay. We, the undersigned, residents of Rivières-des-Prairies-Points-aux-Trembles, call upon the Government of Canada to allocate additional funding or budget allocations to aid public authorities in providing safe, reliable, accessible and efficient public transit in Montréal’s East End.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns regarding the importance of access to public transit in Montreal’s East End. Canadians rely on public transit to go to school, to get to work, to see their friends, and to explore their communities. From buses and subways to bicycle lanes and walking trails, public transit and active transportation infrastructure help Canadians get where they need to go and stay connected. The Government of Canada is making important investments to support reliable, safe, and accessible public transit, which helps promote sustainable mobility, economic growth, social inclusion, and a healthy environment. In recent years, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has collaborated with the Government of Quebec to invest in public transit. Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6 billion in the province of Quebec for public transit, $3.7 billion of which contributes to improving public transit service for Montrealers. Notably, this includes a $1.9 billion investment that is supporting the extension of the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro towards Anjou, which will enhance public transit service in Montreal’s East End. Starting this year, the Canada Public Transit Fundwill support public transit in communities of all sizes across Canada, including projects of shared interest between the Governments of Canada and Quebec. In addition, the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund will support a wide range of infrastructure projects, including public transit and active transportation across the country. The role of the Government of Canada is that of a funder rather than a project developer. Requests related to specific projects in Montreal’s east end are best directed to the Government of Quebec and local municipal authorities, which identify priorities and lead the development and implementation of such projects. The Government of Canada remains committed to working collaboratively with the Government of Quebec to support priority transit projects through funding programs that improve access to reliable transportation, economic growth, and sustainable and prosperous communities.