Lac-Mégantic rail bypass to be assessed by transportation agency

A train goes through downtown Lac-Mégantic, Que. on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

A long-awaited rail project to bypass the town of Lac-Mégantic, Que., is one step closer to being built.

Transport Minister Steven McKinnon says an official application has been submitted to the Canadian Transportation Agency, and the project will be “ready to go” once it receives the agency’s approval.

A 2013 derailment in Lac-Mégantic killed 47 people, destroyed much of the downtown core, forced about 2,000 people to evacuate their homes and spilled some six million litres of crude oil into the environment.

The federal and provincial governments in 2018 committed to joint funding for a rail bypass to send trains around the downtown.

But some citizens oppose the project due to concerns about the route, cost and potential damage to wetlands and water supplies.

The government says the application includes environmental studies and a monitoring plan, which will be published as part of a public consultation process.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2025.