The day after the defeat of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in Jean-Talon, Prime Minister François Legault promised to “consult” and “listen” to the citizens of the old capital on the third link, suggesting in the press that the highway project could be revived.
There is no question of losing Quebec, the CAQ leader said at a news conference, pointing to the region that has given his party some of its strongest majorities since his election in 2018.
“We have to question ourselves and take note of the results,” he added, referring to the Parti Québécois (PQ)’s resounding victory Monday night in the riding of Jean-Talon in Quebec.
“The abandonment of a third highway link between Quebec and Lévis, which today has become a tunnel project dedicated exclusively to public transport, obviously hurt us a lot,” admitted Mr. Legault, surprised by the decision. Press, suggesting that it would be possible to review the project to allow the passage of cars.
The ball is in the court’s court, he said, shortly before heading to Salon Bleu on Tuesday afternoon.
Although the third link was not the only issue discussed in the election campaign that just took place in Jean-Talon, it was certainly one of the core issues of the election, which culminated on Monday with the victory of the PQ candidate Pascal Paradis found evening.
The abandonment of the highway component of the project last April also brought accusations of lying to the Legault government this summer, with Mr. Paradis claiming to have learned during a flirtation with the CAQ last year that it had no intention of following through on its promise Parliamentary elections in October 2022.
More details to follow.