Government Is Restoring & Upgrading Old Quebec Shortline Railroads

"In addition to offering a viable option for the transportation of goods, this investment in the railway network will bring about the successful completion of the tourist train project in the Charlevoix region. In taking this action, our government has shown its willingness to support economic and tourist development in the greater region of Quebec, within a perspective of sustainable development," said Minister Couillard. The Government of Canada will invest more than $4.2 million and the Government of Quebec more than $2.8 million over a period of five years in order to support this project as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructure in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors. The work will increase the carrying capacity of the track, in accordance with North American standards. In addition, the right-of-way portions of the Charlevoix Railway located along the shoreline will be protected in several areas. The rockfill will counter the effects of the tides. The work will cover a distance of 145 kilometres. ... http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=375959 For release - February 1, 2008 SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE LANAUDIÈRE AND OTTAWA VALLEY RAILWAYS LANAUDIÈRE, QUEBEC — The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the Lanaudière and Ottawa Valley railways, evaluated at more than $2.6 million. The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Mr. David Whissell, Quebec Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Abitibi-Témiscamingue Regions, today announced that this agreement represents an investment of more than $1.7 million by the Governments of Canada and Quebec. ... Since the Lanaudière Railway transports dangerous goods, the investment is aimed mainly at improving the safety and reliability of the infrastructure in order to limit the possibilities of derailment. There are also plans to add a siding to facilitate manoeuvres. As for the amounts invested in the OVR, they will make it possible to restore the rails, ties and surfacing of 64 kilometres of OVR track located in Quebec. This stretch, known as the Témiscaming, goes from Mattawa, Ontario to Témiscaming, Quebec. ... http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=375979 For release - February 1, 2008 SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE MATAPEDIA AND GULF RAILWAY RIMOUSKI, QUEBEC – The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the Matapedia and Gulf Railway (MGR), evaluated at $14.6 million. ... The Government of Canada will invest more than $5.8 million and the Government of Quebec more than $3.8 million over a period of five years in order to support this project, as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructure in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors. The work will consist of an upgrade to North American standards for the carrying capacity of the MGR's tracks. Shippers dealing with the MGR would like to see improvements in its infrastructures, so that larger-capacity cars can move more efficiently. The work will cover a distance of 347 kilometres and will improve the condition and functionality of the railway. ... http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=375999 SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE OTTAWA CENTRAL RAILWAY No. H 026/08 For release - February 1, 2008 PORTAGE-DU-FORT, QUEBEC – The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the Ottawa Central Railway, evaluated at more than $2.4 million. The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and MP for Pontiac, and Mr. Benoît Pelletier, Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region and MNA for Chapleau, today announced that this agreement represents an investment of more than $1.5 million from the Governments of Canada and Quebec. ... The Government of Canada will invest more than $948,000 and the Government of Quebec more than $632,000 over a period of five years in order to support this project, as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructure in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors. The work will allow the Ottawa Central Railway to upgrade the carrying capacity of its tracks over a distance of 36 kilometres. ... http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=376009 For release - February 1, 2008 SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE QUEBEC-GATINEAU RAILWAY GATINEAU, QUEBEC – The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the Quebec-Gatineau Railway (QGRY), evaluated at more than $21 million. ... The Government of Canada will invest more than $8.4 million and the Government of Quebec more than $5.6 million over a period of five years in order to support this project, as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructure in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors. This railway's infrastructure is at the end of its useful life, mainly in terms of the rails, but also in terms of its sub-structure, the ties and the ballast. The issue here is not the carrying capacity of the tracks, but rather restoring the infrastructure over a distance of 483 kilometres. ... http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=376079 For release - February 1, 2008 SIGNING OF THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD AND THE MONTREAL, MAINE AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC – The Governments of Canada and Quebec are pleased to announce the signing of the Canada-Quebec Agreement in support of the project to restore the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad (SL&A) and the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railroad (MMA), evaluated at more than $22.8 million. ... The Government of Canada will invest more than $9.1 million and the Government of Quebec more than $6 million over a period of five years in order to support this project, as part of the Canada-Quebec Agreement for the Restoration of Shortline Infrastructures in Quebec. This ambitious program, to which the shortline railways will also be contributing, will generate global investments of more than $75 million over a period of five years. Its purpose is to maintain an efficient railway transport network that is competitive and better integrated with the continental railway network, notably in the principal trade and transportation corridors. The SL&A, which links Saint-Hyacinth to the American border near Coaticook via Richmond and Sherbrooke, will receive more than $5 million for the completion of a project worth more than $7.5 million, and the MMA, whose main line extends from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to the American border near Lac Mégantic via Farnham, Magog and Sherbrooke, will be given financial assistance of $10.1 million for a project worth over $15 million. The work will enable the SL&A to improve the carrying capacity of its rails, in accordance with North American standards, over a distance of 153 kilometres. Within a context of expanding exchanges with continental networks, competition in serving the East Coast is very high. Several current clients of the SL&A have been asking this carrier for a long time to improve its infrastructure in order to provide them with better service. As for the operators of the MMA, they would like to increase the carrying capacity of the rails, in accordance with North American standards, and implement an extensive tie restoration program. The work will cover a distance of 381 kilometres. The shortlines provide regional railway service, and for local businesses they are essential for trade. These companies run more than 38 per cent of the Quebec railway network, that is, more than 2,300 kilometres of railway. In Quebec, more than 80 per cent of the products shipped over the shortlines are destined for the United States. The merchandise shipped over these regional railroads is mainly wood, paper, pulp, particle board, ore and aluminum. Shortlines thus play an indispensable role in the Quebec economy. http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=376099

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