Quebec's stimulus bill passed into law despite environmental concerns

It took two attempts, but in the end the Coalition Avenir Québec government got it what it wanted, with the National Assembly passing the controversial Bill 66 into law Thursday evening.

The new law will help fast-track 180 infrastructure projects in an attempt to stimulate an economy that is reeling from the effects of COVID-19. 

Those projects include the Montreal Metro's Blue line extension, the expansion of highways 117 and 30,  as well as the construction of schools and long-term care homes, with the government earmarking $3 billion in infrastructure spending for the current financial year.

Bill 66 is a slimmed down version of Bill 61, which the CAQ abandoned last summer after it drew the ire of opposition parties and critics.

Many felt the bill gave the government too much leeway to get projects off the ground with little regard for the environmental review process or laws that govern how public contracts are given.

The reconstruction of the Mercier Bridge was no longer part of the bill, removed at the request of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, according to Treasury Board President Sonia Lebel.

The expansions of McGill University and Dawson College are still part of the CAQ's plan, which the Parti Québécois considers as an "unacceptable" prioritization of English institutions.

Law pits the environment against the economy, opposition says

There are still concerns about the law's potential effect on the environment, as two of the three opposition parties voted against the bill.

In a statement, the PQ claimed "the government insists on pitting environment against economic recovery", a sentiment shared by Québec Solidaire.

"In the end, we still find [within the bill] attacks against environmental processes, and that, for Québec Solidaire, is unacceptable," said MNA Vincent Marissal.

Liberal MNA Gaétan Barrette disagreed, saying the COVID-19 pandemic has created an exceptional set of challenges that call for exceptional solutions.

"Economic recovery happens in part through infrastructures," Barrette said. "It seems acceptable to us to deviate from the strict rules that we know, particularly in terms of the environment."

Bill 66 will also include expanded powers for l'Autorité des marchés publics, the provincial authority which oversees public contracts, a measure aimed at appeasing concerns that fast-tracked processes built into the law could leave the province vulnerable to corruption.