LOCATION: MONTRÉAL, QC
Issue/Source: Support for the RÉSEAU EXPRESS MÉTROPOLITAIN STATION AT MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT
DATE: JANUARY 12, 2021
Suggested ResponseS
- The Government of Canada appreciates the importance of the light rail station at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, given its place as one of the anchors of the new $6.5 billion light rail transit Réseau express métropolitain network currently under construction in the Greater Montréal area.
- The Government is working with Aéroports de Montréal, the Government of Québec and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Infra to examine potential solutions.
- The Government has provided rent relief to 21 airport authorities that have ground leases with the federal government, including Aéroports de Montréal, through rent relief from March to December 2020.
- The 2020 Fall Economic Statement proposed $500 million over six years to establish a new transfer payment program to support critical infrastructure projects at large airports, including the Réseau express métropolitain station. The Fall Economic Statement also includes deferral of 2021 rent payments for Aéroports de Montréal.
IF PRESSED
- The Government of Canada is committed to working with Aéroports de Montréal and other stakeholders to ensure that the Réseau express métropolitain airport station gets built.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- The Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) is a new light rail transit network currently under construction in Greater Montréal, consisting of 26 stations and 67 km of tracks. The $6.5 billion project is being developed by the Caisse de Dépôts et Placement Québec Infra , and includes a $1.3 billion investment from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- Aéroports de Montréal reached a commercial agreement with Caisse de Dépôts et Placement Québec Infra to finance and build the Réseau Express Métropolitain Station at Montréal-Trudeau airport station. The Caisse de Dépôts et Placement Québec Infra has committed to build the tunnel connecting the REM network to the planned airport terminal.
- Due to COVID-19, traffic and revenues at Aéroports de Montréal have significantly collapsed and are forecasted to remain greatly reduced in the coming years, returning to 2019 levels by 2024. In response to the crisis, Aéroports de Montréal has reduced operating and capital expenditures and intends to raise additional financing in the coming years. {ATIP removed}
- In the summer of 2020, Aéroports de Montréal publicly signaled that it intended to renege on its obligations to build the Montréal-Trudeau Airport REM station and related obligations to Caisse de Dépôts et Placement Québec Infra unless it received significant financial support from federal and provincial governments.
- In October 2020, Aéroports de Montréal announced its airport improvement fee (used for funding infrastructure projects) on departing passengers would increase from $30 to $35 as of Feb 1, 2021.