To mitigate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Quebec government is announcing measures to facilitate recovery, including acceleration measures for infrastructure projects designated as “economic recovery projects”.
Today, Christian Dubé, Minister responsible for Government Administration and Chairman of the Conseil du trésor, along with Eric Girard, Minister of Finance, tabled a bill to give the Québec government the agility and powers it needs to revitalize the Québec economy. All levels of government will be mobilized to contribute to this recovery.
Some 200 infrastructure projects in all regions of Quebec will benefit from acceleration measures, identified for their potential to contribute to economic recovery. For example, the construction of Maisons des aînés and new schools, the modernization of healthcare facilities and public transit initiatives are among the designated projects that would benefit from these measures. In addition, any private-sector project that contributes to the revitalization of the Quebec economy, or that aims to increase Quebec’s medical or food self-sufficiency, could also benefit from acceleration measures. These measures are in no way intended to reduce or modify existing standards or the rigor and integrity applicable to the usual authorization processes, but rather to accelerate the procedures that enable projects to be implemented.
The bill comes on the heels of the $3 billion in investments planned under the Quebec Infrastructure Plan for the current year. This gives the government the leverage it needs to accelerate the start-up of several projects.
Other measures in the bill
The bill will also enable the government to offer greater agility and speed in the procurement process for public bodies and municipalities, while preserving the integrity of public procurement.
In terms of justice, the bill provides for the extension of certain time limits in criminal matters, to prevent offenses from going unpunished due to delays caused by the state of emergency.
Highlights
The 202 projects that have been identified are in line with government priorities and have the potential to create wealth in communities.
- In education, 39 primary and secondary school renovation projects will be accelerated, and new, more modern schools will be built.
- In healthcare, there will be a total of 90 projects. 42 different projects involve the renovation of CHSLDs and the expansion of certain hospitals. The government will begin construction of 48 Maisons des aînés across Quebec.
- The bill will speed up the start-up of 34 road projects, while 16 public transport projects are affected by the new measures. The REM extension project is one of them, and the extension of certain metro lines will be carefully analyzed.
- A total of 23 other economic stimulus projects are designated, including the Gaspésie rail network and Hydro-Québec’s Appalaches-Maine line.
