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QUEBEC – With the clock ticking to the official sod-turning, the province has taken the unusual move of stripping citizens of the right to contest a property expropriation in order to fast-track Montreal’s new electric commuter train.

But with changes to the route since the project was launched about a year ago, the potential conflict is considering downsized — only about a dozen private homes are affected by the massive $6 billion transit project, officials at the Caisse de dépôt et placement, which is building the train, confirmed Thursday.

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Of the 12, the Caisse has expropriation deals with four owners and is in negotiations with the remaining eight. The rest of the potential expropriations are commercial and industrial buildings and partially or completely vacant lots.

A total of 113 property deeds are in play, plus an undetermined number of hectares of agricultural land that could be de-zoned from their green status for development.