Despite citizens' groups requesting a tram for the city of Montreal, city officials are reporting that the absolute earliest that a new tram would open is 2021. Anyone else find this kind of government inefficiency absolutely appalling?

It would cost more than $1 billion to build a proposed Montreal tramway line linking Côte des Neiges, downtown and Old Montreal. So don’t expect to see sleek new trams on city streets any time soon.

Quebec would have to pay most of the cost and the province has indicated its priorities are an extension of the métro's Blue Line (cost: about $1 billion) and light-rail transit for the new Champlain Bridge (cost: as much as $2 billion).

The province has told Montreal there will be no money for a tramway until at least 2018, Réal Ménard, city executive committee member responsible for transport, told reporters Wednesday.

For Montreal, a tramway is a "medium-term" priority and the earliest one could open — if required funding is found — is 2021, Ménard said.

Read More on montrealgazette.com