Québec trams on again

A tramway project that first came on to planners’ desks in 2018 under the administration of Mayor Régis Labeaume, but was cancelled in November 2023, has re-appeared under a new administration. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) issued its plan for higher-order public transit in Québec city last summer, including 35km of tramway and 35km of busway, estimated to cost CAD 14.7bn for both. Now the Québec provincial government has authorised phase 1 of the tramway, a 19.3km west–east line from Cap-Rouge to Maizerets, including two underground stations in a 1.8km subway. 34 47m trams would be required; it is understood that the previous cancelled order for Alstom Citadis Spirit could be revived. 

 

The new Québec transport minister, Genevieve Guilbaut announced on 16 December that construction would start in summer 2027 for completion in 2033 and the tramway project would be known as TramCité. The reaction of city mayor Bruno Marchand was that he wished to see it in operation by 2030. ‘Finally it feels like we’re in a modern city’ he said. The second phase would see a 7km north–south line from the city centre to Lévis on the south shore. The total cost is likely to be CAD 7.6bn at 2024 prices. The government would finance up to 40% of the cost with the remainder financed by CDPQ.