A significant development has been reached in the construction of the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) recently approved the project, declaring the chosen location as “suitable” and highlighting the positive impact it will have on both the regional and national economies.
The proposal, put forth by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPRC) through the Central Maine and Quebec Railway Canada (CMQR), involves the building of approximately 12.5 kilometers of new rail tracks to redirect train traffic away from the downtown area of Lac-Mégantic.
Lac-Mégantic, located in the Eastern Townships, was the site of a tragic train derailment in July 2013, resulting in the loss of 47 lives and extensive damage to the town center.
Following this disaster, the City of Lac-Mégantic put forward the idea of a rail bypass, which received funding commitments from the governments of Quebec and Canada in 2018.
Last September, Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announced that the project had entered the assessment phase, with the CTA taking over the review process.
The CTA carefully considered various factors including the proposed bypass location, CPRC’s operational requirements, and feedback from local communities and Indigenous groups.
The towns of Lac-Mégantic, Frontenac, and Nantes will be impacted by this initiative.
