Half of Quebec roads are in poor shape, auditor general finds

Quebec’s auditor general says half of the province’s 31,000 kilometres of roads are in bad shape, including about two-thirds of the road network in three regions.

In a report released Thursday, auditor general Guylaine Leclerc said about 8,075 kilometres of road has reached the end of its lifespan.

She told a news conference that the province’s short-term road maintenance ensures the public isn’t in danger, but she says she worries about the long-term deterioration of the network.

She criticized the province for its “insufficient” upkeep of the roads, saying the network’s asset maintenance deficit — work needed to restore the physical condition of the roads — has risen to $10 billion from $3 billion in 2018, adding that it will rise to $17.5 billion in 2027 at the current rate.

Leclerc said close to two-thirds of the roads in the regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Chaudières-Appalaches and Outaouais are in bad shape.

The Transport Department said in a statement that it welcomed the report, but noted that Quebec faces important challenges regarding road maintenance, including the vastness of its territory and difficult weather conditions that vary greatly across the province.