Quebec announces big projects for Laval transit

The Quebec government made the largest, good-news announcement regarding public transportation in Laval in a generation last week, the invitation-only media event coming days after the Legault government passed its controversial Bill 96 legislation, kicking off a week of protests and announced legal challenges.

Quebec Transport Minister François Bonnardel came to Île Jésus to announce the establishment of a project office, usually the first concrete step towards realization of a project, to study the implementation of a large-scale transportation project along the axis of the orange Metro line.

He also confirmed the creation of a rapid bus service (SRB) on Notre-Dame and de la Concorde boulevards, as well as the analysis of a solution to improve traffic on Saint-Martin boulevard.

“These three announcements have the potential to positively change the daily life of the entire population of Laval since they will completely improve our mobility” said Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “The Saint-Martin project will, on its own, connect half of our neighborhoods to each other. By connecting so many centers of interest, this project will allow Laval to finally promote its own development and interests.”

The first project will improve travel on the north-south axis of the orange line in a corridor running from Côte-Vertu metro station to the north of Laval, expected to run parallel to Chomedey boulevard. Studies will be carried out to determine the best mode to implement, i.e., a bus, tram line, metro extension, etc.

The SRB on Notre-Dame and de la Concorde boulevards would run between Curé-Labelle and des Laurentides, meeting a major mobility need. Every day the Société de transport de Laval (STL) makes nearly 600 trips by bus, transporting more than 13,500 passengers on this route. A project office piloted by the STL is already at work in collaboration with the transport ministry, the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain and the city. Finally, the east-west Saint-Martin axis will be analyzed for an SRB project to relieve congestion on the very busy artery.

“With Montreal having 6 times as many metro stations per capita, it's time to rebalance things,” added Boyer in a social media post. “With these projects, we will connect our neighborhoods with each other rather than always thinking about travel in a logic of going to and from the city center.”

Laval saw its population grow by 9% over the last decade, and projections by the Institut de la statistique du Québec show that growth will reach more than 15% over the next 20 years, leading to additional needs in the medium term of the current transportation offer, more specifically with regard to public transportation. “In 15 years Laval has become a real employment center” said Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete adding that these three major projects “will support responsible and sustainable development in the region.”

Costs and timelines will be specified once preliminary project plans have been finalized.