The Parti Québécois threatened on Tuesday to withdraw Quebec from the federal authorities’s proposed high-speed rail community if the celebration wins the October provincial election, drawing widespread criticism from federal, provincial and municipal politicians.
PQ Chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says he can’t justify to Quebecers that their cash be spent on what dangers changing into a “monetary fiasco.” Though he didn’t clarify how Quebec would withdraw from the undertaking, the PQ chief’s opposition might create a critical impediment for federal plans to start out constructing the road earlier than 2030.
St-Pierre Plamondon says the Bloc Québécois has estimated the undertaking will find yourself costing $200 billion and that Quebecers’ share could be $40 billion. Nevertheless, the federal company overseeing the 1,000-kilometre rail line linking Toronto to Quebec Metropolis estimates it’ll price between $60 billion and $90 billion.
The PQ chief stated precedence needs to be given to sustaining growing old infrastructure quite than a high-speed rail undertaking, including that he would demand Ottawa switch cash to Quebec equal to the province’s share of the undertaking, suggesting it needs to be $40 billion.
In response to the PQ’s announcement, Prime Minister Mark Carney instructed reporters on his means into the Home of Commons, “Quebecers voted for the Liberal Occasion (of Canada) within the final election.”
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For her half, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette stated the PQ “doesn’t perceive how this works; it’s not true that we are able to recoup billions of {dollars} if this undertaking doesn’t transfer ahead in Quebec.”
Earlier than heading into query interval on the Quebec legislature, St-Pierre Plamondon however stood his floor. He stated he aspires to be Quebec premier, “and typically meaning taking stances which may be much less fashionable, however stances which can be the accountable factor to do.”
He argued that the renovations wanted in Quebec for faculties, hospitals, and roads is just too important to go forward with a undertaking that may price an “astronomical” sum of money.
“Quebecers will perceive me on this,” he concluded.
The mayors of Quebec Metropolis, Montreal and Laval had been fast to criticize the PQ chief, whose celebration is favoured by ballot aggregator Qc125.com to win the Oct. 5 election.
“The high-speed prepare will deliver Quebec Metropolis nearer to the continent’s main financial and political hubs and can turn into a robust financial driver, as has been the case in all G7 nations earlier than us,” Quebec Metropolis Mayor Bruno Marchand stated in a press release despatched to The Canadian Press.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada argued that the “high-speed rail shouldn’t be a partisan situation.” In her view, it’s attainable to each rebuild infrastructure and spend money on new tasks.
“Throughout Quebec, cities want concrete enhancements in mobility,” she argued in a written assertion. “This requires each strengthening present public transit and finishing up main infrastructure tasks.”
Throughout a press convention, PQ member Joël Arseneau acknowledged that his celebration had not consulted the mayors of Quebec’s main cities earlier than it got here out with its plan to withdraw the province from the high-speed rail plan.
The PQ, nevertheless, will not be alone in its disdain for the undertaking.
Federal Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre has known as on the federal authorities to cancel the undertaking, describing it as a “boondoggle” that will waste taxpayer {dollars}.
And on Tuesday farm organizations from Quebec, Ontario and throughout Canada requested Ottawa to revisit the proposed rail hall, saying the undertaking might price excess of projected and trigger important harm to agricultural land.
Federal Minister of Business Mélanie Joly praised the undertaking’s deserves and famous that the provinces wouldn’t should contribute a single penny to it.
“Quebecers are ‘fed up’ with seeing that in France, it’s attainable (to trip a high-speed prepare), however in Quebec it isn’t,” she instructed reporters.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed June 9, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press