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MONTREAL \u2014 Two years after their home was expropriated to make way for a rail bypass, Lac-M\u00e9gantic, Que., resident Raymond Savoie and Rita Boulanger are still fighting to stay in the stone cottage where they live alongside three cows and a lifetime of memories.<\/p>\n
Their home and part of their land was expropriated by the federal government in 2023 for a project to divert trains from the community\u2019s downtown, parts of which were destroyed in 2013 when an oil-laden train derailed and killed 47 people.<\/p>\n
Recently, they appeared in Quebec Superior Court with their lawyer, asking for more time in the home that was built by Savoie\u2019s great-grandfather nearly a century ago.<\/p>\n
The couple\u2019s lawyer argued it\u2019s premature to ask them to vacate the home since the Canadian Transportation Agency has not yet given the go-ahead to begin construction. Daniel Larochelle pointed out that the rail bypass has been in the works for 10 years, with no start date.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe expropriation has been done for two years and we\u2019re still in the same place as when I argued in front of Federal Court (against expropriations) in 2023,\u201d he said. \u201cThe question is, where is the urgency? Is there really an urgency to show these people the door?\u201d<\/p>\n
Boulanger, in a brief phone conversation, said they aren\u2019t giving up on staying in their home. She noted that they have three cows, farm equipment and an outbuilding full of hay.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are we supposed to have our cows in an apartment?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The federal and provincial governments in 2018 committed funding for the 12.5-kilometre rail bypass. However, construction can\u2019t begin without the approval of the Canadian Transportation Agency, which issued a letter in early 2023 stating the application from Canadian Pacific Kansas City \u2014 which will operate the future bypass \u2014 lacked information on the project\u2019s environmental impact.<\/p>\n
The federal transportation minister announced last month that the application for the project had finally been submitted to the agency. But the couple\u2019s lawyer said in court there are several steps to go before construction can start.<\/p>\n
According to Transport Canada, those steps include analysis of the application as well as additional consultations. Larochelle said his clients agreed to allow workers to come on the land to conduct further preliminary work in the meantime. \u201cWhat they don\u2019t want is for the house to be destroyed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A lawyer representing the federal justice minister argued in court that the couple\u2019s request for additional delays in moving out aren\u2019t reasonable. Caroline Laverdi\u00e8re noted that the federal Crown has owned the land for more than two years, and has tried repeatedly to resolve the situation with the landowners by dialogue. The delays in the file, she argued, are the very reason that the evictions can\u2019t wait.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada cannot wait another six months, especially given the fact that it\u2019s been more than two years that nothing has moved forward despite several efforts by Canada, the evidence of which before you is not contradicted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In an email, Laverdi\u00e8re said the eviction process was a \u201clast resort,\u201d after the couple refused to leave.<\/p>\n
At the end of the hearing, Justice Claude Villeneuve warned Savoie and Boulanger that he would have no choice but to eventually order an expulsion order. \u201cNow, it remains to be seen what time limit I am going to grant you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Some citizens in Lac-M\u00e9gantic and neighbouring communities have become opposed to the bypass in recent years, citing concern with the route, cost and potential damage to wetlands and water supplies. Kurt Lucas, the co-founder of a citizens\u2019 group opposed to the project, believes the expropriations were announced for \u201cpolitical\u201d reasons back in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was for appearances for the 10-year anniversary (of the tragedy),\u201d he said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n
He said the transportation agency has not yet confirmed that the newly submitted application is complete this time, let alone approved the project.<\/p>\n
The federal government expropriated a part of Lucas\u2019s land, effectively cutting his property in two pieces. He says Lac-M\u00e9gantic residents have ample evidence that the new bypass could contaminate the water and increase the risk of future derailments because of an increase in curves and faster train speeds.<\/p>\n
He said the bypass project, intended to help heal the psychological wounds of the community, has also divided the population \u2014 some of whom are asking to be allowed to vote in a new referendum on whether it should go ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a92025 The Canadian Press<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n