Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the floor this evening. I am glad to have the opportunity to address my colleague from Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs for the first time.
This evening, I would like to talk about the Port of Québec, an extremely important port and the oldest one in Canada. It is more than four centuries old and part of Quebec City's very foundation.
The Port of Québec has reached a turning point. If it does not look to the future, focus on development, and expand its operations, then, sadly, it will soon die.
Three projects are under way. Beauport 2020 is of utmost importance. L'Anse au Foulon is an extension of Samuel-De Champlain Boulevard. During the election campaign, there was a promise to invest $12 million in it. The Louise Basin is another Port of Québec site with plans for development.
During its first year in power, the Liberal government did not have much to say about those projects. It was silent on the subject of l'Anse au Foulon, the Louise Basin, and Beauport 2020. There was nothing about Beauport 2020 in the throne speech or in the budget, and not much talk about it in general other than brief mentions by the Minister of Transport during his infrequent stops in Quebec City.
Beauport 2020 is vital to helping the Port of Québec remain competitive internationally and in North America. This project is also important to maintaining 8,000 direct and indirect jobs in the greater Quebec City area. Among other things, Beauport 2020 includes plans to double the area of the port's wharves. It is important because investments tied to this project will make it possible to complete significant repairs to the port facilities so that the Port of Québec can remain competitive in North America.
The environmental assessment is well under way. We are currently at the public hearing stage. Social licence will not be a problem, I am quite sure, because the port authorities are doing a good job. There has been constant dialogue between the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the Port of Québec. The agency has given the green light for public hearings to begin. By July 1, Canada Day, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change should receive a positive report from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. I am confident that she will receive a positive report for this project. The Government of Quebec and municipal authorities all support this project. The Liberal Government of Canada has also said that it supports the project. However, it has been very tight-lipped about it for the past year.
My question is very simple. One month before the election, the Conservative government confirmed that there was a $60 million envelope for the Port of Québec's Beauport 2020 project. The Minister of Transport repeatedly stated that he would honour the previous Conservative government's commitment in due course. My question is for the parliamentary secretary. Is this $60 million envelope, which was allocated by the Conservative government, still available? Is this amount still on the books? Other than saying that the government supports the Beauport 2020 project, can the government tell us whether this envelope exists and is still available today?