CDPQ Infra
CDPQ infra is a subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), dedicated to the development of infrastructures and their management. Its head office is located in Montréal.
Origin of CDPQ infra
In June 2015, the National Assembly of Quebec adopted bill 38 “An Act to allow the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec to carry out infrastructure projects”.[1] The bill was introduced under the government of Philippe Couillard to enable the execution, management and funding of major public infrastructure projects, in partnership with the Caisse.
First greenfield projects
At the time of its creation, CDPQ Infra was commissioned by the Couillard government with the evaluation of two public transport projects for Greater Montreal;
a) A public transit system on the future Champlain Bridge;
b) A public transit system for the West Island (between downtown Montreal, Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau International Airport and the West Island) [2]
On 22 April 2016, CDPQ Infra unveiled plans for a new public transportation project, the Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM).[3] As proposed, the REM will link downtown Montréal, the South Shore, the West Island (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue), the North Shore (Deux-Montagnes) and the airport through a unified, electrically powered and fully automated, 67-km light rail transit (LRT) system.[4] The new network represents an investment of approximately $5.5 billion, of which CDPQ Infra is willing to commit $3 billion as the majority shareholder.