Mayor Plante moving forward with metro's 'pink line' extension

CTV Montreal: Pink line progress Montreal is set to move ahead with its proposed pink metro line, as Mayor Plante announced an office and advisory committee.

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante says she's determined to move forward with STM's pink line, making two announcements about its development during a press conference Monday.

Plante told reporters at City Hall on Monday that a new office will be assembled, with a budget of $1 million, to assess the potential of the proposed transit project.

An additional advisory committee will be introduced, made up of experts.

"Also with having the 'Pink line office' within the city, it's another way to complement all the technical studies the ARTM will be doing to come up with more data on the economic potential, the social development potential… surrounding a project like the pink line," said Plante.

The pink line was one of the core promises during Plante’s campaign during the municipal elections.

The line, which comes with a billion-dollar price tag, is expected to link Lachine and Montreal North through a new metro line.

But making progress with the Quebec government, Plante says, could be more challenging over the next four years, because the newly-elected CAQ government, as it stands, is not as keen on the project. Its transit plan does not include any money for the pink line.

Plante, however, said she’s confident the project will move forward with this concrete measure in place.

The pink line will eventually ease congestion on the roads, she said, as well as decrease environmental impact and ease traffic on the orange line.