I will continue.
Senator Smith said, “I want to bring all of the parties together and be able to negotiate the access to land, consolidate the money and prioritize a time frame.”
He noted that the recent closing of the Turcot West exit lanes as well as the long-term reconstruction of the entire exchange will be serious challenges to motorists. He also said, “The benefits will give more options for commuters, employers will be attracted to the location, and hubs will grow around the expanded frequency. This would bring growth and jobs to the West Island, which is part of our national platform.”
Mr. Chair, I've heard similar comments by members of the Liberal Party. I think we can all agree that this project deserves our attention and would help the regional growth of Montreal in a significant way.
I'd like to underline the fact that my constituents lose a lot of time in traffic. A transit that should normally take 45 minutes sometimes takes an hour and 45 minutes, even up to two and a half hours, because of traffic problems.
This is money lost for my constituents. I could go through a more detailed explanation of how my constituents lose money and what that means in terms of lost revenue for the Government of Canada, but as we have important witnesses today, I'll cut my discussion short.