The Federal Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, criticized his Conservative predecessor for having minimized the costs to repaint the Quebec Bridge in Quebec City.
Invited during a question period in the Senate Wednesday to say when his government will decide if it will help with the work or not, Garneau stressed that the last figure given was $400 million.
“The Conservative government – Mr. (Denis) Lebel before – had said (that) it will cost $200 million,” he reminded independent Senator Michel Rivard, who asked him the question.
“We are studying those costs so that we we can be sure that it really represents the costs. But it’s still a bit of a surprise that it costs almost double what the Conservatives had said before, ” the minister said.
On Tuesday, the Quebec Minister of Transport, Jacques Daoust, seemed to lean toward the higher figure.
Canadian National (CN), which is responsible for the bridge, had put forth an estimate of $350 to $400 million, recalled Garneau Wednesday, stressing the importance of the work to do.
“This is not just a matter of painting the bridge. But also to ensure for environmental reasons that no old paint falls into the St. Lawrence,” he said.
Garneau will closely study all the numbers before deciding which one to believe. He also promised a decision before June 3.
Meanwhile, the minister wanted to reassure the thousands of drivers who regularly cross the bridge.
“The bridge is safe. It may be ugly but it is safe,” he said. “I mean it’s because there are people who think that because it is not painted, it’s rusting, it will fall into the St. Lawrence. This is not the case, ” he added.
