Fund Montreal East End transit
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to allocate additional funding to help public authorities deliver safe, reliable, accessible and efficient public transit in Montréal’s East End. The government responds that it funds transit programs, has contributed to Montreal projects including the Blue Line extension, and that Quebec and municipal authorities lead project planning and delivery.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would provide targeted funds to reduce long commutes and improve transit service for East End residents, addressing an expressed local need.
- Improved funding could narrow equity gaps with Montreal’s West End by making transit safer, more reliable and more accessible.
- Federal allocations can leverage provincial and municipal efforts and accelerate unfinished local transit projects.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Federal budgets are limited and additional allocations would require trade-offs with other priorities or spending commitments.
- The federal government is primarily a funder; provincial and municipal authorities lead planning and delivery, limiting what federal funding alone can achieve.
- Additional federal money could duplicate existing investments or fail to speed implementation without clear provincial/municipal plans and coordination.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Due to limited public transit access in Montréal’s East End, residents of Rivière-des-Prairies and Pointe-aux-Trembles must endure long commutes when travelling to and from other parts of the Island of Montréal; The disparity between public transit in the East End and the West End highlights a significant gap between the regions, with unsafe, unreliable and inadequate transit conditions for East End residents compared with those in the West End; and Although several public transit projects have been proposed for the East End of Montréal, their implementation remains incomplete and, consequently, East End residents demand that public authorities deliver additional and improved public transit solutions, without delay. We, the undersigned, residents of Rivières-des-Prairies-Points-aux-Trembles, call upon the Government of Canada to allocate additional funding or budget allocations to aid public authorities in providing safe, reliable, accessible and efficient public transit in Montréal’s East End.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns regarding the importance of access to public transit in Montreal’s East End. Canadians rely on public transit to go to school, to get to work, to see their friends, and to explore their communities. From buses and subways to bicycle lanes and walking trails, public transit and active transportation infrastructure help Canadians get where they need to go and stay connected. The Government of Canada is making important investments to support reliable, safe, and accessible public transit, which helps promote sustainable mobility, economic growth, social inclusion, and a healthy environment. In recent years, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has collaborated with the Government of Quebec to invest in public transit. Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6 billion in the province of Quebec for public transit, $3.7 billion of which contributes to improving public transit service for Montrealers. Notably, this includes a $1.9 billion investment that is supporting the extension of the Blue Line of the Montreal Metro towards Anjou, which will enhance public transit service in Montreal’s East End. Starting this year, the Canada Public Transit Fundwill support public transit in communities of all sizes across Canada, including projects of shared interest between the Governments of Canada and Quebec. In addition, the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund will support a wide range of infrastructure projects, including public transit and active transportation across the country. The role of the Government of Canada is that of a funder rather than a project developer. Requests related to specific projects in Montreal’s east end are best directed to the Government of Quebec and local municipal authorities, which identify priorities and lead the development and implementation of such projects. The Government of Canada remains committed to working collaboratively with the Government of Quebec to support priority transit projects through funding programs that improve access to reliable transportation, economic growth, and sustainable and prosperous communities.