March 28, 2005

Labour leader recommends toll highways

QUEBEC

A leading Quebec labour leader recommended last week that toll booths return to the province’s highways.

Henri Masse, president of the Quebec Federation of Labour, told reporters the tolls could be used to rebuild the province’s battered road system and to finance “chronically underfunded’’ public transit.

“We have to find solutions,’’ he said after leading a delegation that met with Transport Minister Michel Despres. “We have to have the political courage to do so, and we have to have a solution that works.

“It could be the return of toll booths.’’

Quebec had toll booths on several highways and one of the bridges linking Montreal to the south shore until the early 1980s.

The Liberal government of Jean Charest favours public-private partnerships, paid for by tolls, to build two new highway extensions.

Masse, whose labour federation is opposed to such partnerships, said tolls should be added to all highways, not just new routes.

“It is never unanimous in Quebec society, but we think the government should make a commitment to ensure that the money returns to the road network and to public transit.’’

The minister plans to present a new financial framework for transit in January.

The Canadian Press

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