Tramway Update

Gatineau mayor surprised by Mobilité Infra Québec’s initial tramway project findings

Sophie Demers 

Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ) has released their first findings since being mandated by the Quebec Government to take over the project to ensure optimization and a responsible financial framework. Quebec’s decision left the City of Gatineau, and many residents worried the project would be halted. This decision also meant shutting down the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) Tramway project office. MIQ states that they have been working closely with the city, STO, and the National Capital Commission to ensure a smooth transition of the work. 

According to MIQ, the initial findings aim to ensure the project's continuity, analyze the work done to date, and ensure proper financial management.

The first of MIQ’s findings state that the organization was unable to obtain an updated budget for the project. The last budget was done with pre-pandemic estimates that no longer reflect market costs. To ensure the project is in-line with best practices, MIQ will get an updated estimate from an external and independent contractor.

“This was surprising, as there was a governance committee composed of the deputy ministers of the provincial and federal Departments of Transport, along with the STO, Gatineau, the City of Ottawa, and the CCN. This governance committee dealt, in real time, with all the decisions that were made by the project office. Everyone was aware of the expenses, including the Ministry of Transport,” explained Gatineau Mayor, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette.

The initial findings also highlight some concerns relating to the project office costs. MIQ states that the monthly expenses for the office were nearly $1.8 million, and they found that the number of full-time employees assigned to the project was high. In response, they commit to conducting a review of governance and analyze options for diversity funding.

Finally, MIQ found that the ridership and traffic data are not current, as it was based on the year 2022. MIQ has committed to updating the data for a current portrait as well as what is anticipated in coming years.

“We had communicated that these figures had to be handled with a lot of caution, that these figures were dated. We knew that it was going to be higher before the change in mandate. The STO was updating the costs of the project,” said the mayor. 

A couple of days after the MIQ’s initial findings were public, the Quebec Government released their 2026-2027 budget. Quebec has increased the public transit infrastructure funding for Gatineau by over $90 million for 2026-2036, compared to the last budget. However, it’s unclear how much will be distributed to each project.

In reaction to the budget, S’allier pour le Tramway Coalition, a local group that is advocating for the Tramway project, notes that there are some positives, but significant uncertainties remain.

“The budget appears to be sending some positive signals, but there are a number of areas that remain unsatisfactory with respect to the continuation of the tram project and investments in transit operations, said Patrick Robert-Meunier, spokesperson for the Coalition. “Clear commitments will be needed in the coming months to ensure that the tramway project continues beyond the mandate given to Mobilité Infra Québec, as well as to support the enhancement of the current service offer."

The Coalition highlights that investment in public transit is important to support the economy, and to reduce costs for households with car dependency. The group also calls for short-term investments to improve the public transit service until the Tramway and Rapibus expansion are complete.