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We recently launched a major campaign with several partners opposing a tunnel construction project which makes no sense from a financial, environmental or land use standpoint. The 3e lien project would build a tunnel to connect the south and north shores of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis to the tune of $10 billion taxpayer dollars.
Projects like the 3e lien are completely incompatible with efforts to ensure better and more sustainable land use in Quebec, exacerbating existing problems of urban sprawl, dependence on cars and destruction of farmland and nature.
If you haven’t already signed the petition, here are five reasons why you should consider doing so right now!
Reason #1
To avoid wasting $10 billion
Studies conducted by the Quebec Ministry of Transport indicate that fewer than 9,000 cars make the trek from the south shore of Québec City during morning rush hour. It is estimated that the 3e lien will cost $200,000 per motorist who will use the tunnel.
The $10 billion that government is planning to invest to build the tunnel could otherwise be invested in useful projects, such as the creation of:
- 978 new schools across the province;
- 39 hospitals, like the one planned for Baie-Saint-Paul;
- 84 community housing units subsidized by AccèsLogis.
Or the government could use it to offer:
- 108 years of free public transportation on Quebec City’s transit agency, the Réseau de transport de la Capitale.
The 3e lien was an electoral promise, but the project doesn’t make sense. We must do better.
Reason#2
To protect our dwindling agricultural lands
Quebec is losing more and more of its farmland every year. The 3e lien would encourage speculators to buy up farmland around the tunnel for purposes other than agriculture, which would lead to a disruption of the region’s agricultural practices. If the trend in recent decades is any indication, this situation will no doubt lead to agricultural rezoning and the loss of numerous plots of farmland on the south shore to urban sprawl.
Reason #3
To preserve the quality of our air and our water
Construction of the 3e lien would have major impacts on the quality of our air and our water. The culture of solo driving and the necessary infrastructure that goes along with it cause pollution and many harmful effects on public health. In Canada, air pollution caused by traffic is estimated to cost more than $32 billion a year in avoidable health care costs.
Reason #4
To avoid exacerbating the climate crisis
Nearly half of Quebec’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are caused by the transportation sector. With the planet in the midst of a climate crisis, new infrastructure investments should focus on sustainable mobility. The 3e lien would encourage solo driving, making congestion problems worse.
Reason #5
To encourage the government to pursue a green and just recovery
By signing the “Non au 3e lien” petition, you will help send the government a clear message: in 2021 we have no time for irresponsible projects that will destabilize our future. We need to see the economic recovery through a lens of social and environmental resilience, and to invest in sustainable projects that will benefit not only our economy but our planet as well.
Do you agree that our public funds could be better spent?
