Despite substantial additional revenue to be used to fight climate change, the Legault government’s investments in improving public transport have barely kept pace with those in the road network.
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For the second year in a row, the Quebec government can count on the good returns from the carbon market to step up its fight against climate change, following the disastrous report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
That return, along with the additional gas tax revenue, makes it possible to raise $1.4 billion to improve the 2030 Green Economy Plan.
This represents a $9 billion prize pool over the next five years.
Environment Minister Benoit Charette will announce later this spring the means to achieve a 37.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Very little catching up to do
By investing $1.9 billion in new money to improve mobility and electrify public transport, Quebec is making a rare gesture: putting more new money into it this year than into road maintenance.
Nonetheless, the 2023-2033 Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI) still shows the wide gap between the two sectors. With investments of US$13.8 billion for public transport and US$31.5 billion for network maintenance, the Legault government is still a long way from the promised race to catch up between sustainable mobility and the automobile.
“This is one of the first times that specific buzz [en transports collectifs] exceed,” pleaded infrastructure minister Jonatan Julien. “We must preserve the road network, it is essential (…) It is certain that over time we will transfer it to public transport”.
The Québec streetcar is still in the planning stage, but nothing more is planned for the REM in the PQI.
Solidarity Haroun Bouazzi claims this is an irresponsible budget in which the Legault government is “recycling” its old environmental pronouncements. He denounces the low investment in public transport.
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Help for transport companies
In addition, the CAQ government is adding $400 million “despite the drop in traffic” due to “the normalization of telecommuting” to support transportation companies suffering from declining incomes.
According to Quebec, these sums will help them “time to implement the solutions” identified during the consultation tour announced by Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault.
Other environmental measures
- Increase polluter pays tax to $1.5 on new tire purchases
- $500 million went into creating the Blue Fund for water conservation
- $443.4 million to create new protected areas
- $1 billion to protect water resources, ensure dam safety, protect biodiversity and promote access to water.
- Another $30 million to help businesses reduce emissions
59% of environmental infrastructure is in poor condition
Most of the environmental infrastructure is in poor or very poor condition. In its Plan québécois des Infrastructures, the Treasury Board confirms that the dams in Québec in particular are outdated.
To fix this, Quebec will invest $1 billion to ensure the safety of its dams, protect water resources, protect biodiversity and promote water access. He wants to “protect the driving force that enables it to generate electricity”.
Of that sum, the Legault government is reserving 19.7 million to help modernize municipal dams.
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