Quebec budget: Valérie Plante calls out Legault government for cuts to public transit

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante criticized the new Quebec budget presented by the CAQ government on Tuesday for its cuts to public transit funding. While praising the budgetary response to the U.S. trade war, and acknowledging the strain that that situation is putting on the province, Plante noted that reduced support for maintenance would be felt by public transit users in Montreal.

“This budget is a severe blow to the backbone of Montreal’s economic vitality: public transit. Significant cuts in funding for maintenance will hurt the Montreal metro.”

Plante also scolded the CAQ for cancelling a tram project that would have connected Lachine and downtown Montreal. By scrapping this project, the Quebec government now owes the City of Montreal $800-million — this is the amount of money that Montreal lent for a Quebec City tram project in 2019, a loan that was made on the promise that the province would fund Montreal’s Greater Southwest tram.

“We are very disappointed by the abandonment of the Greater Southwest tram project. The Quebec government gave us its word (about the realization of that project) in 2019, when it asked us to transfer $800-million to Quebec City to fund their tram.”

On savait que le contexte d'aujourd'hui était difficile pour le budget du gouvernement du Québec.

Bien que la Ville de Montréal salue les efforts du gouvernement pour soutenir les entreprises affectées par la guerre commerciale, ce qui aidera plusieurs entreprises montréalaises,… pic.twitter.com/zlXrEDSPeH

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) March 25, 2025

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