Minister Guilbault mandates the Caisse for the Quebec City tramway project

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault during question period at the National Assembly on Oct. 8, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

The Legault government has officially entrusted the Caisse de dépôt et placement with the design and construction of phase one of the Quebec City tramway project.

In a letter made public on Wednesday, Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault awarded the 19 km route to CDPQ Infra, which already built the REM in Montreal.

However, CDPQ Infra will not be responsible for the operation, unlike the REM in Montreal, but will hold a minority stake that is yet to be determined, ranging between 20 and 30 per cent, according to reports.

The operator will be chosen by the stakeholders, including the government and Quebec City.

The deadline for a definitive agreement has been set for Dec. 15, and the government has indicated that legislative and regulatory changes will have to be adopted by then, which leaves barely two months.

Earlier this year, the Legault government asked CDPQ Infra to intervene because Quebec City had launched an unsuccessful call for tenders for its tramway and had then proposed to be the project manager itself.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 9, 2024.