MONTREAL -- In the back-and-forth over Bill 61, the Legault government’s proposal to fast-track 200 infrastructure projects, a compromise seemed in the works last night—then it fell apart.

Christian Dubé, MNA for Lévis and the Quebec Treasury Board president, said that Wednesday was a long night of revisions as legislators aimed to come to a conclusion by Friday.

There were about 20 changes made to the original bill, he said. But by late afternoon Thursday, he said the political opposition appeared to change their mind about the negotiations.

The CAQ says that by cutting out bureaucracy and shortening the approval process for $3 billion worth of infrastructure projects, they can get them going quickly and create economic recovery by putting thousands of Quebecers to work this summer.

But the opposition has accused the government of trying to pull a fast one, saying the bill will bypass checks and balances created after the Charbonneau commission to ensure public contracts are corruption-free. They’re also concerned about environmental checks getting done.

Also on Thursday afternoon, Premier François Legault said his government will not invoke a closure motion on the bill, which would force it through with a simple majority.

He conveyed his frustration, though, saying that the concerns are legitimate, but that it makes no sense to take four years to build for a CHSLD when it could be done in two.

The opposition say that if the bill doesn't get passed before the end of the session, on Friday, they are not to blame. 

“The problem that they’re having right now is of their own making,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of Quebec Solidaire. “They were the ones to table that bill so late that it rushed everyone.”

The bill was tabled last week.

One of the more high-profile projects on the list of 200 is an expansion of Dawson College. 

This morning, Pascale Berube of the PQ said his party is against the idea. He said that growing Dawson, which is popular with young French speakers, would essentially ensure that they are socialized in English, which he can’t support.

The Premier did not agree with that reasoning. Putting money into Dawson, he said, “doesn’t mean that we refuse other projects in the francophone colleges.”

The Dawson project therefore looks set to continue—though exactly when is unclear. 

The various parties have until 8 p.m. tonight to continue working on the bill, and the last day of the session is officially tomorrow.

But Berube said that if needed, they could extend it to Monday.