Montreal’s 3-Year Capital Works Program Invests in Underground Infrastructure
Montreal’s recently unveiled Three-Year Capital Works Program for 2018-2020 includes a considerable investment in underground infrastructure.
Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante, and the chair of the executive committee, in charge of finance, Benoit Dorais, presented the program, which covers a variety of projects and programs that the city plans to carry out or undertake over the next three years. The Program provides for investments totaling $6.383 billion (CAD) over the next three years.
“The projects detailed in this first Three-Year Capital works Program are in line with the priorities that Montrealers have outlined for us during the past few months,” Plante said. “This Program provides investments in our assets, thus allowing us to build the Montréal of tomorrow, and to improve the well-being and quality of life of our citizens.”
The 2018-2020 Program provides for a total amount of $6.383 billion (CAD) in investments, of which $2.085 billion are for 2018, $2.158 billion for 2019 and $2.140 billion for 2020.
“Since the beginning of our term, we have taken the time to analyze all projects, to question certain decisions, and to set new priorities according to our values,” Dorais said. “We are investing massively for the city to continue to work towards meeting the needs of its citizens, and creating a pleasant, safe and dynamic environment.”
The increase in investments in water and road infrastructures remains this Program’s main focus. Consequently, 65 percent of investments, or $4.117 billion, are allotted to road and underground infrastructures. These investments aim to eliminate the deficits in road maintenance over the next five years, and in the maintenance of waterworks and the sewer system over the next 10 years. This amount will also be used in the regular and ongoing maintenance of water and road infrastructures.
Important investments in water infrastructures remain necessary in order to offset the maintenance deficit of past years and to maintain water-related assets in good condition. For 2018-2020, an amount of $1.682 billion will be allotted to water infrastructures, of which $537.4 million in 2018.
The Program’s main investments in water infrastructures are as follows:
• $513.1 million for the secondary water main and sewer network renovation program
• $207.6 million for the ozone wastewater disinfection project
• $103.8 million for projects to modernize the four drinking water production plants (Atwater, Des Baillets, Pierrefonds and Pointe-Claire)
• $161.5 million for work operations on the Rockfield, William, Lavigne, Leduc and Saint-Thomas retention structures
• $127.1 million for the Rosemont and McTavish reservoirs and pumping stations
• $113.5 million for work on the network of primary water lines
• $69.1 million for sewer collectors
• $68.4 million for the Plan d’alimentation des réseaux de l’ouest (including the modernization of the Lachine and Dorval drinking water production plants)
Investments for boroughs
Investments for boroughs total $537.1 million for 2018-2020, which represents a 20.3 percent hike in comparison with the last Three-Year Capital Works Program. The new Program’s corporate budgets, also include several projects and programs in support to boroughs, for a total amount of $861.0 million.
This brings the total amounts allotted to boroughs to $1.398 billion.
Cash payments of capital assets
The TCWP 2018-2020 again marks significant new growth stemming from the strategy to increase cash payments of capital assets by $120 million compared to the previous TCWP. The amount of $1.200 billion for the current financial year is allocated as follows:
• $320 million for 2018
• $400 million for 2019
• $480 million for 2020
The cash payment of capital assets under the 2018-2020 Three-Year Capital Works Program totals $1.378 billion, an increase of 6.7 percent compared with the previous triennium.
The documents related to the 2018-2020 Three-Year Capital Works Program are available on the city’s website: ville.montreal.qc.ca.
