Construction of Saguenay River Crossing Estimated at $4.2 Billion
Rewritten Article:
In a surprising move, the Legault government has set sights on a whopping 4.2 billion dollar investment in constructing a bridge over the Saguenay, a plan that may also involve tolls to cover costs. This ambitious project, connecting Baie-Sainte-Catherine and Tadoussac, is not the only one on the table, as tolling remains a possibility for the third link as well.
Fanny Levesque from our website reported that during a recent meeting with Coalition Union 138, a North Shore infrastructure advocacy group, the Legault government shared the gist of a study on the Saguenay bridge project. Although the details of the study remain under wraps for now, it's clear that the proposed project is expected to yield positive impacts in terms of tourism, productivity, mobility, and economic growth.
Geneviève Guilbault, Minister of Transport, shared that the 4.2 billion-dollar price tag is undeniably high. But, she's optimistic about the project, stating that they'll have discussions with their new federal colleagues regarding potential fund contributions.
Prior reports have suggested the government may not invest in the project until after 2030, although the recent announcement is described as "concrete" by Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the Minister responsible for the North Shore. The next step is to determine the most effective and cost-efficient approach to realizing this project.
The government, however, faces a tight budget as public finances are in the red, and debt is on the rise. Despite this, tolling to finance the infrastructure is not off the table. Additionally, the team will explore financing models used in similar projects worldwide to gain insights and inspiration.
Regarding the third link between Quebec and Lévis, the Minister of Transport didn't dismiss the idea of implementing tolls there as well. She highlighted the widespread use of tolls in bridge projects globally, especially in Europe.
The "work" on the Saguenay bridge is intended to serve as a means to study major infrastructure bridge projects worldwide, providing potential insights for projects like the third link. However, the government has yet to set a timeline for these evaluations, which will likely be known by spring 2026. Coalition Union 138 vows to maintain political pressure to ensure the North Coast project progresses amidst the challenging budgetary context.
- The Saguenay bridge project, a potential 4.2 billion dollar investment in sports (industry) and finance (business), may involve tolls as part of the budgetary approach to cover costs.
- The Legault government, in pursuit of the Saguenay bridge project, plans to discuss this endeavor with their federal colleagues, exploring the possibility of added funds from the finance industry.
- Although the details of the study on the Saguenay bridge project are currently confidential, it is expected to contribute positively to tourism, productivity, mobility, and economic growth.
- Meanwhile, the possibility of tolls for the third link between Quebec and Lévis is under consideration, following the widespread use of tolls in bridge projects worldwide, particularly in Europe.
