Ottawa approves Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project

Key Takeaways:

• The federal transport regulator has officially approved a 12.5-kilometre rail bypass to permanently divert train traffic away from downtown Lac-Mégantic.
• The long-awaited project is jointly funded by the federal and Quebec governments to address the aftermath of the 2013 derailment tragedy that claimed 47 lives.
• Approval for the new rail line is tied to strict environmental and community conditions including groundwater monitoring and building inspections to protect nearby properties.

The Whole Story:

The Canadian Transportation Agency has approved the construction of the long-awaited Lac-Mégantic railway bypass, a project designed to permanently reroute trains away from the downtown core devastated by a deadly derailment more than a decade ago.

The federal regulator announced its decision Thursday, authorizing the Canadian Pacific Railway Company to construct approximately 12.5 kilometres of new track on behalf of the Central Maine and Quebec Railway Canada Inc., which will own the bypass. Detailed reasons for the determination are scheduled to be released in August.

The bypass project was proposed following the tragedy of July 6, 2013, when an unattended train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in downtown Lac-Mégantic, killing 47 people and destroying much of the town’s core. The federal and Quebec governments committed to jointly funding the bypass in 2018.

Once completed, the new mainline will connect the Moosehead Subdivision to the Sherbrooke Subdivision, integrating into Canadian Pacific’s broader rail network. The project also features the construction of two ancillary yard tracks, totalling just over three kilometres in length, alongside supporting junctions and infrastructure.

The regulator’s approval comes with strict conditions spanning the entire lifecycle of the project. These include requirements for rigorous groundwater and potable water well monitoring, wetland and wildlife protection, and structural inspections of nearby buildings to guard against soil-settlement damage. Canadian Pacific must also establish an Indigenous participation plan in consultation with the W8banaki and Wendat First Nations.

The decision follows some local pushback from the Coalition des Victimes Collatérales, which questioned the agency’s impartiality given the federal government’s active financial backing and support for the bypass. The transportation agency rejected those allegations, stating it is an independent organization distinct from Transport Canada that makes its determinations based strictly on the evidence before it.