Ottawa moves to acquire land for Lac-Mégantic rail bypass, 10 years after disaster | 24CA News

The federal authorities is transferring to accumulate land in order that it could actually construct a rail bypass in Lac-Mégantic, Que., almost 10 years after a downtown freight prepare derailment killed 47 folks.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra introduced that he made the tough choice to expropriate land after the failure of negotiations to buy property from native landowners.

The minister stated a discover of intent to expropriate has been revealed in Quebec’s land registry, and landowners have been contacted by e-mail and phone to tell them of the discover.

Landowners may also count on to obtain official discover by registered mail.

2:30Trudeau proclaims Lac-Megantic rail bypass almost 5 years after lethal prepare accident

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Alghabra stated he understands that some property homeowners are indignant concerning the choice, however the core goal is to cease trains from travelling by Lac-Mégantic’s downtown, and forestall one other catastrophe.

The choice to reroute the prepare tracks follows Alghabra’s go to to the area final month, when he met with neighborhood members and expressed the federal government’s want to assemble a bypass as quickly as potential.

The rail catastrophe came about early within the morning on July 6, 2013, when an unattended freight prepare carrying crude oil derailed downtown and a number of vehicles exploded, killing 47 folks and flattening 30 buildings.

In 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced a plan to collectively fund a rail bypass with the federal government of Quebec.

Negotiations with landowners started in 2021, and the negotiation interval was prolonged 3 times “to allow landowners more time to properly evaluate their offer, to use the services of experts and to obtain reports related to the value and sale of their property,” the minister stated in his assertion Monday night.

“Unfortunately, for various reasons, the government of Canada has not been able to finalize purchase and sale agreements with all the landowners.”

Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek was the one to provoke the expropriation course of, Alghabra’s assertion stated, and he promised that the federal government could be by landowners’ facet all through the method.

“I understand that some of the landowners are angry, saddened or anxious about this decision. Believe me, it was not taken lightly,” stated Alghabra.

“The decision to proceed with the expropriation, as difficult as it is, is my commitment to the community members who want this project to move forward, especially as we mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy in July of this year.”

Lac-Mégantic Mayor Julie Morin had informed The Canadian Press that she was reassured by the minister’s dedication to the undertaking, upon his go to final month.

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