The Eardley-Masham road that connects the Municipality of Pontiac to Masham is still closed after this spring’s flooding, and it’s not shocking.
If you’ve spent any amount of time on Quebec . . .
roadways, you’re no stranger to dodging potholes or feeling like you’re driving through a set of moguls.
It’s no secret that Quebec has had infrastructure issues for a long time.
In 2006, the De La Concorde Bridge collapsed on a major highway in Quebec City, killing five and injuring six. An inquiry later found that shoddy construction and low-quality concrete caused the collapse.
The Charbonneau commission that took place in 2014 revealed that the mafia had infiltrated the bidding process for public contracts – costing taxpayers millions.
The commission led to the resignations of the mayors of both Laval and Montreal.
In the case of the Eardley-Masham Road, the question is not so much about corruption as it is incompetence.
This spring’s flooding stands as one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the region, and it’s the second time residents have had to deal with a deluge like this in three years.
A spokesperson for the Ministère des Transport de Quebec (MTQ) said the reason for the closure of the Eardley-Masham Road was because it took time to plan.
The flooding happened more than three months ago.
There’s a good chance that if the culvert failed this badly during the most recent flooding, it must have been at a critical level during the 2017 floods.
So realistically, the MTQ has had more than two years to replace the culvert that eventually led to the washout.
Now the MTQ says that the road won’t be open until the fall, making life tougher for Municipality of Pontiac parents whose children go to École secondaire des Lacs in Masham.
Clearly, the MTQ doesn’t have a firm grasp on its own infrastructure liabilities.
Even a major roadway that serves as the main artery through the Pontiac – Highway 148 – had a 20-foot stretch dug up for weeks earlier this summer.
If work needs to be done on a road, that’s understandable. Culverts need to be replaced and roads have a fixed lifespan – people get it.
However, when the work is completed and it takes weeks for the gap to be paved, something is clearly wrong.
If it’s one level of government or another that’s dragging its feet putting projects out to tender, then these projects need to be given more urgency – especially in light of the severity of the flooding that wiped out the roadway.
If it’s the winning bidders that are responsible for the delays, then the government needs to be able to better enforce the conditions and deadlines of its own contracts.
For instance, the newly opened Champlain Bridge in Montreal was delayed by more than six months and cost taxpayers an extra $235 million on top of the $4.2 billion price tag.
In October of 2018, Federal Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne told the media that if there were delays to the bridge project, the construction companies would bear the cost.
“There’s no wiggle room whatsoever,” Champagne said. “The contract is clear.”
That contract allowed the federal government to fine the company $100,000 for every day the bridge was delayed for the first week and $400,000 every day after that week up to $150 million.
Whether it’s multi-billion-dollar projects or road washouts, it seems that our governments are not doing a good enough job of ensuring taxpayers get what they paid for.
Chris Lowrey
