Transport experts say the proposed third link bridge between Quebec and Levis cannot be financed through a toll system because the numbers do not work [1].
The dispute centers on whether a user-pay model can realistically cover the massive construction costs of the project. If the project remains financially inviable, the government may face a choice between abandoning the bridge or relying on significant public funding.
An unnamed transport expert said the projected traffic and expected revenues would not cover the project costs [1], [2]. According to the expert, the cost of the third link could be 20 times higher than the A25 toll bridge, despite having lower traffic volume [2].
Bernard Drainville, the Minister of Economy, expressed frustration with the technical opposition to the project. "I am a bit tired of all these experts who are never for the project," Drainville said [3].
The disagreement highlights a divide between technical feasibility and political ambition. While some officials view the toll bridge as a viable option, others argue the financial model is flawed. Christine Fréchette, a candidate for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), said that people in Quebec no longer believe in the project [4].
Critics of the toll model argue that the gap between construction costs and potential revenue is too wide to bridge without unsustainable toll rates. This has led to ongoing contradictions between the government's presentation of the project, and the assessments provided by transport specialists [1], [4].
“"Les chiffres ne fonctionnent pas."”
The conflict underscores a recurring tension in infrastructure planning where political promises of a 'self-funding' project clash with economic realities. If the 20-fold cost increase compared to similar projects is accurate, a toll-only model is mathematically impossible, meaning the project will either require a massive tax-funded subsidy or be cancelled entirely.
