Project made possible thanks to the New Building Canada Plan
July 13, 2015 – Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Québec – Infrastructure Canada
The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, was joined today by the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Robert Poëti, Quebec Minister of Transport, and Jean D'Amour, Minister for Transport and the Implementation of the Maritime Strategy, and Minister responsible for the regions of Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, to announce $389,681,000 in federal funding for Phase 3 of the redevelopment of Highway 85, under the National Infrastructure Component of the New Building Canada Fund. The Government of Quebec's contribution of $557,319,000 also reaffirms the project as priority under the 2015-2025 Québec Infrastructure Plan. Construction work on this segment of the highway will begin in 2017. This funding is conditional on the project meeting applicable federal eligibility requirements with respect to the New Building Canada Fund and the signing of a contribution agreement.
This project involves the last 40 kilometre section from Saint-Antonin to Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, which will benefit the entire province of Quebec, as Highway 85 is vital to the economic development of eastern Canada. Expanding the existing highway (route 185) to four lanes in this section will make Highway 85 safer and more efficient for those using it and facilitate the transport of goods between Quebec and the Maritime provinces.
The first two phases of the redevelopment project included converting a two-lane highway into a four-lane divided highway in an effort to improve safety. Phase 1 of the project, which was rolled out between 2002 and 2011, involved a number of specific sections of the road for a total of 21 kilometres. Phase 2, a distance of roughly 33 kilometres between Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac (Cabano section) and the New Brunswick border, is almost complete. The highway was rolled out gradually beginning in 2013 and continuing in 2014. The last 7.5 kilometres of this phase in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, in the Notre-Dame-du-Lac section, will be rolled out in fall 2015. At the end of Phase 3, the Highway 85 construction project will be complete.
Through the $4-billion National Infrastructure Component of the New Building Canada Fund, the Government of Canada is providing financial support for projects with far reaching benefits for all Canadians. The Fund supports infrastructure of national significance that has a strong impact on Canada's competitiveness, productivity and economic well-being.
Vincent Rabault
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.
613-943-1838
Valérie Rodrigue
Director
Office of the Quebec Minister of Transport
418-643-6980
Zoé Couture
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister for Transport and the Implementation of the Maritime Strategy, and Minister responsible for the regions of Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine
418-580-9754
Miryam Leclerc
Communications Advisor
Ministry of Transport
Bas-Saint-Laurent–Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Directorate
418-727-3675, ext. 2235
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
