Opposition parties at the National Assembly are voicing their concerns over Bill 61, known as an “Act to restart Quebec’s economy and to mitigate the consequences of the public health emergency” due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The bill was unveiled by the government on Wednesday. As part of the plan, the government wants to accelerate the construction of schools, seniors’ homes, roads and public transit systems.
If passed, the bill will allow some projects to be fast-tracked without all the regular procedures in place. And that is cause for worry, according Liberal MNA Gaetan Barrette. “Bill 61 is basically a discretionary bill that will give maybe too much power to government in the way the process will be undertaken,” Barrette said.