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Monday’s announcement that the Quebec government is looking at extending the coming Réseau express métropolitain light rail system northward into Laval and south to Chambly and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu elicited the ire of Mayor Valérie Plante, who said such moves could exacerbate Montreal’s métro overcrowding.

The proposal betrays “a lack of understanding of the the reality of congestion on the Orange Line,” Plante said. The plan is “not connected to this reality.”

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She added she is “very concerned” that the proposals do not take into account the impact an expansion could have on “the heart of the network. You can add (all the extensions you want) but if the heart is paralyzed we won’t advance.”

Transport Minister François Bonnardel announced Monday the government has asked Quebec pension fund manager Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec — which is paying for a half of construction of the 67-kilometre light rail line and has the contract to manage it — to study adding two new branches to extend the line’s reach into central Laval to the Carrefour Laval shopping centre and southeast to Chambly and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu.