A: The acquisition of some 130 hectares of farmland works out to 0.2% of the total agricultural land in the RCM.

A: The site chosen by CPR is already used predominantly for railway and storage facilities. CPR configured the site in accordance with the expectations of area farmers. The land sought for the site has the advantage of not creating any landlocked agricultural properties and ensuring the continued viability of local farms. An overpass will be built on Montée Chénier where it crosses the railway tracks so as not to impede traffic involving farm equipment. Mitigation measures concerning surface drainage, underground drainage and agricultural wells will not create any negative impact on the water supply used for agriculture. With respect to the CPTAQ process, CPR’s approach is to apply for approval of new non agricultural use of the land rather than an exclusion.

A: No, because wastewater will be conveyed to the St. Lawrence River after on-site treatment. As well, surface runoff will be collected in retention basins within the site itself. Pumping stations will control the flow of water discharged into surrounding watercourses to ensure they don’t overflow.

A: CPR will be responsible for relocating them within the perimeter of the site, in accordance with clearly defined standards.

A: In the case of the Soulanges Industries site, CP approached the owner knowing the latter was prepared to sell, and the parties came to an agreement. Because the site was not large enough to accommodate planned activities for the new facility, CP then approached the owners of adjacent agricultural properties to present its project and explore the possibility of acquiring parcels of land. A compensation program was set up and discussions took place in order to arrive at mutual agreements. Arrangements were also made to facilitate land swaps between owners who are operators and those who are not. The decisions recently handed down by the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec (CPTAQ) allow CP to execute the agreements reached with each of the owners.

A: Because of the isolated location of the site – more than 1 km away from residential areas –, the fact that a foliage barrier and earth berm will be erected along almost all of its perimeter and that potential sources of odour are limited to equipment and machinery that are rarely stationary (trucks, locomotives, automobiles and transshipment equipment), the impact of any odours on neighbouring homes will be negligible.

A: This question will be studied as part of the environmental assessment required by the CTA under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

A: The intermodal facility incorporates automated gates designed to ensure the fluid movement of trucks entering and leaving the site, thereby limiting stopping time. Also, no service areas for truckers are planned at the site.

A: No, because vehicles will be traveling on completely paved surfaces. In addition, no bulk products will be transported.

A: The type of lighting chosen and the location of the lights, combined with the foliage barrier and earth berm along the perimeter of the site, will have the effect of limiting the impact of glare on neighbouring homes.

A: No, because the site will have its own water supply and drainage system. It will be independent of the municipal system.

A: The Intermodal Complex will be managed in accordance with applicable environmental laws, regulations and directives, and will be subject to an environmental monitoring program established jointly with various authorities. There is no risk of contamination from creosote-treated wood, since the railway ties under the tracks at the site, along with all the switches, are made entirely of steel. Treated wood is not used for this purpose. Should an environmental incident take place, emergency response and clean-up procedures will be initiated immediately.

A: Plans call for snow to be cleared and pushed into piles, as is the case for many private sites in Québec.

A: The product is one commonly used for road maintenance. It will only be applied in the event that snow or ice impedes operations at the site. The drainage system at the intermodal facility is designed so that no runoff is directed toward neighbouring properties.

A: The site will be paved and there are no plans for wide-scale spraying. The products applied along the main track are the same type as those used for domestic purposes. Herbicides are not used for esthetic purposes, but for safety reasons. These include providing a clear view of the track and its components, facilitating inspections, and ensuring that ballast under the tracks doesn’t deteriorate as a result of infiltration by weeds. Residents in the vicinity are notified during vegetation control operations and notices are published in local newspapers. In addition, spraying is only scheduled when weather conditions permit; it does not take place when the wind exceeds a certain speed.

A: The studies completed to date, including ecosystem characterization and inventories, have not revealed any components of the natural environment that are at risk in the project area. What’s more, research conducted with directories and ecology data centres did not reveal any protected habitats on the site or on adjacent properties. That said, CPR intends to limit tree clearing to a minimum while at the same time re-creating vegetation areas within the complex and at the edges of the site.

A: The Les Cèdres Intermodal Complex project must be approved by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), an independent tribunal responsible for administering the regulatory provisions of various statutes of Parliament involving federally-regulated modes of transportation. When a project is submitted to the CTA, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act calls for an environmental assessment. The environmental assessment process is currently underway for the project, but CP has already begun preliminary studies to evaluate the project’s impact on quality of life.

A: CPR, a federally regulated company, must obtain approval from federal authorities and, more specifically, the Canadian Transportation Agency (“CTA”). The CTA approves railway construction projects. The Agency will consider the requirements for railway operations and services, the interests of any municipalities that the railway construction project will affect and the impact on the environment. Prior to approving a project, the CTA must conduct an environmental assessment in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The environmental assessment process includes public notices and other public participation mechanisms. The entire process takes from 12 to 18 months to complete.

In addition to federal requirements, CP is working with the provincial government, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RCM and the municipality of Les Cèdres. After studying the CP project, the RCM amended its development plan to accommodate the project, and the municipality of Les Cèdres changed its zoning by-laws to comply with the new development plan. CP also presented its project to the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec (CPTAQ), the provincial farmland preservation commission, in March 2008 so that CPTAQ could rule on the use of the entire area required for implementation of Les Cèdres Intermodal Complex for non-agricultural purposes. After issuing its preliminary orientation on September 26, 2008 and holding a public meeting on February 10, 2009, CPTAQ issued a final favourable decision  on April 2, 2009.

A: Following the public announcement of the project in 2006, CPR implemented various mechanisms for informing and consulting local residents about the initiative: individual and group meetings with farmers from adjacent properties; information sessions aimed at various local associations (Les Cèdres Optimist Club, Vaudreuil-Soulanges business association); a newsletter; an open house for nearby residents; and the creation of an information office. The information gathered in this way has contributed actively to the development of the project.

Also, each of the approval bodies provides for its own information and consultation process with the various groups involved.

Furthermore, as part of the environmental assessment, the body responsible provides for its own information and consultation process with the various groups involved.

A: On average, containers will remain on site for two to four days.

A: The Les Cèdres Intermodal Complex will operate continuously. Activities at night will mainly take place within the confines of the site and in the distribution centres.

A: At the approach to the grade crossing on Chemin Saint-Dominique, trains will reduce their speed to 48 km/h until they access the site. At that point, their speed will be further reduced to 16 km/h.

A: Construction of the Intermodal Complex will not generate additional rail traffic since the trains are already traveling through the area to the Montreal Terminal.

A: Direct investment in terms of construction and development at the facility is estimated at several hundred million dollars. Further analysis is required before a specific figure can be provided.

A: For the Complex as a whole, up to 1,700 direct and indirect jobs will be created once the Complex is fully operational. The direct jobs will divided between the distribution centres and the intermodal terminal, while the indirect jobs will be in a number of sectors related to the economic spinoffs created by the project throughout the region.  

A: At the present time, we know that the overall activities planned for the Intermodal Complex will have major tax implications for the municipality, representing a significant portion of its current budget. Further analysis is required before a specific figure can be provided.

A: Given the scope of the project, i.e., forecast direct investment of a few hundred million dollars and the creation of approximately 600 jobs, the economic benefits for the region should be fairly significant. Further analysis is required before a specific figure can be arrived at.

A: CPR intends to develop the project on its own. Consequently, the Company will pay for development costs under municipal jurisdiction as well as for construction costs.

A: The planned site covers an area of 311 hectares, including the 172 hectares acquired by CP from Soulanges Industries in October 2006 and nearly 129 hectares made up of parcels of agricultural land adjacent to the site. To date, CP has options to purchase more than 99% of the remaining 141 hectares required for the project.

A: The site configuration took shape in the fall of 2006. CPR took into account the needs and recommendations formulated in the spring of 2006 by farmers with properties adjacent to the site.

A: The size of the Les Cèdres site is vital to the development of an intermodal complex that incorporates rail-truck transfer, handling, storage and distribution facilities into one site. These facilities will be an integral part of CPR’s railway operations. The planned size of the site is sufficient to meet CPR’s needs over a 15 to 20 year time frame. The useful life of such a site is estimated at 50 years.

A: An in-depth search of possible sites revealed that Les Cèdres was the only location that met the required characteristics for a complex of this type. These characteristics are: proximity to CPR’s core rail corridor and to the highway network; and a location with the size and configuration needed to build an intermodal complex that meets the latest standards for site efficiency and safety. More than half of the 300 hectares required for the project are already being used for railway operations and storage (non-agricultural), thereby limiting encroachment onto agricultural land in the area. In addition, more than half of the 311 hectares required for the project are already being used for railway operations and storage (non-agricultural), thereby limiting encroachment onto agricultural land in the area, as recognized by CPTAQ in its April 2, 2009 decision  concerning file 356808.

A: At the present time, there are no alternatives to this site in Quebec.

A: The new complex will enable intermodal operations to be transferred from the Lachine Terminal, which is severely confined and has no room for possible future expansion. In addition, the project is part of an overall restructuring of the Montreal Terminal and long-term planning for CPR’s rail operations.

A: The proportion of activities dedicated to switching will be lower than in a regular rail yard, since the primary focus of an intermodal complex is rail-truck transfers, along with the handling, storage and distribution of manufactured goods.

A: No, this is strictly a CPR initiative. There are no plans to involve CN.

A: The process of obtaining approvals from various levels of government will be completed toward the end of 2010. The start of construction is projected for 2011 and operations should begin in 2013-2014.

A: The proposed project schedule gives priority to building a dedicated access road to the site so that work can take place as much as possible within the actual site, while keeping vehicle traffic off local roads. In addition, as part of the environmental assessment being carried out under the authority of the Canadian Transportation Agency, CP must assess the impact of construction and prepare a mitigation plan for identified impacts that must be accepted by the CTA. CP will continue to keep the public informed about construction progress on a regular basis.

A: These will mainly be manufactured consumer products, such as electronics, garden furniture, clothing, shoes, etc.

A: Some regulated products will be transported. CPR complies with all Transport Canada regulations that apply to the transportation and handling of such goods. Often these are products used in our everyday lives, such as cleaning products, perfumes, etc. There will be no tank car traffic.

A: Owing to the types of goods transported, i.e. manufactured products rather than bulk products, there is little likelihood of any leaks occurring. Should an accidental leak take place, CPR will comply with emergency response and environmental clean-up procedures.

A: The operations at the Intermodal Complex present a very slight risk of fire. Nevertheless, CPR has taken steps to ensure there is an independent water supply for use in the event of a fire. In addition, an emergency plan will be drawn up with the municipality of Les Cèdres in the coming months.

A: The construction of a single dedicated access road to the site will concentrate the traffic associated with the Intermodal Complex’s operations and will therefore avoid the use of local roads. Local authorities will be taking measures in this regard to determine an appropriate transportation plan and ensure that it is followed.

A: Twenty-nine percent of the trucks will originate from and return to the west, while 71% will originate from and return to the east. Of this latter number, the destination for 57% of the trucks will be Montreal and the North Shore; for 43% of the trucks, it will be the South Shore and Eastern Quebec.

A: The site’s plans call for the construction of an overpass at Montée Chénier. There will be no conflict between train and vehicle traffic at this location.

A: Traffic lights will be installed to ensure local traffic is not impeded.

A: The maximum speed is 25 km/h.

A: Should this occur, a traffic or evacuation plan will be drawn up by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), in conjunction with the municipality of Les Cèdres and the Quebec transport department.

A: The Intermodal Complex will operate 24 hours a day, but traffic will mostly be distributed around three peak periods during the day: morning, afternoon and evening (which will have less traffic than the other two periods).

A: The decision to use interchange 22 to connect the access road to Les Cèdres Intermodal Complex and Highway 20 was made after almost two years’ study, during which time the municipality of Les Cèdres, Canadian Pacific and the Ministère des transports du Québec worked together on a solution that would meet their respective needs. Interchange 22 will permit a better flow of traffic, given its present low volume; widening the overpass will facilitate the movement of farm equipment; and the impact on farmland will be smaller than in the other scenarios evaluated.