These Are All The STM Metro Upgrades Quebec's Political Parties Are Promising If Elected
Some are WAY more ambitious than others.
QS | STM
Provincial elections in Quebec are only days away!
Already, this has been one of the most notable campaign cycles in recent memory.
ALSO READ: Take this Quebec Election Quiz 2018 to inform your vote!
TL;DR The four main political parties in Quebec have each proposed a unique approach to improving public transit in the Montreal area. These maps depict what the transit future looks like to each party.
The issue of sovereignty has been largely off the table and leaders from the four leading parties in the province participated in the first-ever English-language debate.
Those four parties have also been vying for the attention of the electorate with some pretty cool policy and project proposals.
The issue that has perhaps most captivated residents of the Greater Montreal Area, however, is transit.
The current public transit system is woefully overburdened. It is for that reason that the political parties have unveiled some pretty impressive proposals for the expansion of the STM and commuter train systems.
Below, we've compiled proposed transit maps from each party, as well as a list of new notable features. It's unlikely that most of these plans will come to fruition, even if their authors are able to gain a majority in the National Assembly.
But it's nevertheless fun to imagine what Montreal's transit future could look like!
Via Advice Adam
The parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) has perhaps the least ambitious plan for public transit in the Montreal area. Admittedly, they are in a difficult political position when it comes to transportation. Any huge plans the party unveils would be instantly met with suspicion since, as the party currently in power, it would have no excuse for not already initiating those projects.
This map is not from the PLQ, but well depicts the extent of the party's plans. Notable features include:
– STM Blue Line extension to Anjou
– completion of the light rail Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM), which would connect the South Shore, downtown, airport, and West Island
The PLQ has yet to commit to Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante's proposed STM Pink Line. Though, the government did fund a study to explore it as one of many transit expansion options.
Via PQ
The parti québécois has focused less on urban transit than on more broad regional transportation.
That's why in this plan:
– the REM is scrapped in favour of more commuter trains and bus routes
– an above-ground tram would run between the Old Port and downtown
– a "Pink Line" above-ground tram would run between downtown and the airport
– there's a possible extension of that tram to Montreal North, and another possible extension of the STM Blue Line to Anjou
Via CAQ
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) was at first vehement in its rejection of the Pink Line but has since declared that it is amenable to the possibility of a "Pink" tram, much like that in the PQ plan.
The CAQ would also:
– extend the REM through much of Laval
– extend the Blue Line to Anjou
– construct a tram system that connects the downtown, Montreal North, and Montreal East
– construct a tram that covers much of the South Shore
Québec Solidaire
Via QS
Québec Solidaire (QS) has by far the most ambitious transit plan, which would include an extension of every STM metro line.
According to the QS plan:
– Plante's entire Pink Line from Montreal North to Lachine would be completed
– the Yellow Line would get an extention to McGill in the west and de Gentilly in the east
– the Green Line would get a one-station extension in the west to André-Laurendeau
– the Blue Line would extend to Anjou
– the Orange Line would get an extension from Côte-Vertu to Bois-Franc and possibly further
– a tram would connect Montreal East to the downtown
– another tram would connect much of the South Shore to the Yellow Line
– more commuter boats would run along the river, connecting the South Shore, Old Port, and Montreal East
– the REM would be completed in its entirety