No consensus at Lac-Mégantic, ” says BAPE

Photo archive
Four years after the tragedy of Lac-Mégantic, the maintenance of the rail route to the city centre is now considered by many citizens of the MRC of Granite as being the option with the best benefits, found the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE).

Marc-André Gagnon

Monday, 31 July, 2017 15:54

UPDATE
Monday, 31 July, 2017 17:13

Look at this article

Four years after the tragedy of Lac-Mégantic, “the social positioning is now clearly divided” on the need to build a bypass railway, notes the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE).

The BAPE has made public Monday, the report issued a week earlier to the minister of the Environment, David Heurtel. The organization had 15 days to make the document, about 70 pages accessible to the population.

At the end of his term consultation initiated on 23 may, the BUREAU accused the municipality of Lac-Mégantic to have excluded from the outset the status quo, an option that remains inadequately documented.

Division

The non-consideration of this possibility “has prevented its thorough evaluation, and has resulted in its exclusion of a real public debate,” writes the commission in charge of the public consultation, which was chaired by Joseph Zayed.

During its hearings, the BAPE, has yet observed that the maintenance of the rail route to the city centre is now considered by many citizens of the MRC of Granite as being the option with the best benefits.

“No way bypass does not seem to respond adequately and satisfactorily to their expectations,” notes the BUREAU in its report.

The option to$ 115 Million preferred

The consulting agency noted, however, that one of the three options considered for development of bypass route with rail is the least expensive, estimated at$ 115 Million and involves the construction of a bridge over the Chaudière river – deserves particular attention because of its advantages, both environmental, social and economic”.

“This solution would allow for the recovery of the population and ensure its security needs in addition to foster the economic recovery of the region, greatly disrupted since the disaster of the railway”, according to the BAPE.

In its report, the agency noted that “several stakeholders” have used this public consultation “as a forum to publicly celebrate their suffering since the advent of the disaster of the railway”.

“Their comments were, therefore, often laced with emotion and sadness and, occasionally, impatience over the slow pace of the progress,” one can read in the conclusion of the document.

“The government will analyse the report of the BAPE. It will proceed with diligence”, is it limited to declare to the cabinet of the minister Heurtel.

Tragedy of Lac-Mégantic

6 July 2013 : a train of 72 cars carrying crude oil derailed in the centre of the city

• 47 people lose their lives
• Several buildings are destroyed
• The environment is contaminated

Spring 2016 : a study on the relocation of the rail line is completed

Spring 2017 : the BAPE launches a public consultation

July 24, 2017 : the BAPE submits its report to the minister of the Environment

July 31, 2017 : the BAPE makes public the report containing its recommendations