Hydro-Québec wants to more than triple wind production in the province within ten years. Its CEO, Michael Sabia, believes that social acceptability is “the key to success” of this ambition. However, for several private projects in development throughout southern Quebec, citizens are denouncing a lack of transparency and the methods of developers and local elected officials, which would contribute to creating division in the communities.
At the Lorka farm, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the grain fields extend over nearly 350 hectares, between the maple grove and the stables. Nearly 300 dairy cows and calves chew their hay, less than two kilometers from the St. Lawrence River.
At the entrance, a sign announces the colors of the family of the owner, Carl Marquis: “No to wind turbines on agricultural land and maple groves”. Looking closer, we notice two circular burn marks, the results of an act of vandalism that occurred in the spring of 2023. The farmer was shaken by this incident.
“If it gets to this point, what could happen? Someone burned the sign, they could burn the barn,” underlines Mr. Marquis. The signs of his two daughters, the successors of the family business, suffered a similar fate. “My 24-year-old daughter said, ‘Dad, I don’t want it anymore. I am scared. I don’t want to have my house windows broken.” »
The atmosphere is tense between some residents of Sainte-Croix, one of the villages chosen by Innergex to host the 100 megawatt Lotbinière Ndakina wind project. Despite the important work that awaits him during this seed time, Mr. Marquis takes the time to meet The duty with a small group of citizens opposed to the project, in his warm log sugar shack decorated with antlers and furs.
In the spring of last year, the farmer received a call from a representative of the company Innergex who wanted to convince him to accept wind turbines on his land, in exchange for a possible annual fee of around 35,000 $. “The canvassers had a contract signed and they already gave money upon signing,” says Mr. Marquis. They made me understand that they would do everything to ensure that there were wind turbines. If I didn’t accept, they would simply bypass me. But this was the first time I heard that there was such a project in progress. »
He participated in a meeting with the company, which he describes as “ pitch of sale”, for which invitations were limited essentially to the landowners concerned.
Domaël Blanchet and Rosalie Simard, a couple from Saint-Édouard-de-Lotbinière, a municipality also targeted by the project, learned of the existence of a wind project through a neighbor. They then mobilized to ask questions of elected officials and find information to share with their fellow citizens.
The members of the newly formed collective Impact éolien Saint-Édouard-de-Lotbinière are concerned, like the Union of Agricultural Producers, about the loss of arable land represented by the installation of wind turbines. The local section of the UPA is also against the project, according to its representative, Solange Lemay. They also fear the visual and noise pollution which could be linked to these machines which can reach 200 meters in height with the blades. However, they deplore the fact that citizens have had no opportunity to publicly debate these issues.
An issue that affects all residents
Mr. Blanchet and M.me Simard presented a petition of 250 names to two municipal councils concerned, rejecting the idea of a wind project on neighboring lands. Despite everything, elected officials voted on resolutions in support of the project, without citizens having the opportunity to comment.
“It is not seven elected officials who should decide for all citizens whether they want wind turbines or not,” laments Sylvain Pillenière, municipal councilor in Lotbinière. “The response given to citizens was that if we did not support the project, [ça passerait dans les municipalités voisines et] we were going to endure the impacts without benefiting from the royalties,” noted Mr. Blanchet.
The Lotbinière MRC, which is a 45% shareholder in the project, has for its part made regulatory changes in the supervision of wind turbines, facilitating their installation in certain locations. Innergex and its project partners, including the Abenaki Council of Odanak and Wôlinak, finally signed a supply contract with Hydro-Québec this spring.
The prefect of the MRC, Daniel Turcotte, said that he would have liked to be able to carry out consultations, but that the deadline for responding to Hydro-Québec’s call for tenders did not allow it.
He would like, for future calls for tenders, Hydro-Québec to come directly to explain its approach to citizens and answer their questions. “Energy companies are seen as investors, as is the MRC. I would have liked someone more neutral to act as a mediator to explain both sides of the coin,” explained Mr. Turcotte. He also emphasizes that acts of intimidation have also been noted towards people in favor of the project.
Public meetings and the formation of a liaison committee, including NPOs, landowners as well as representatives of the UPA, the municipal world and the business community, will take place so that the rest of the process can take place. in a more harmonious way. “We are currently in the hiring process for a liaison officer who will ensure that we sell the project,” underlined the prefect, who is of the opinion that the majority of the population already sees it favorably. .
Citizens excluded
A similar portrait emerged in Saint-Pie, in Montérégie, about a year later. Innergex invited a handful of farmers to an information meeting on April 24 for a wind project.
Pierre Renard, who operates a 450-hectare wheat, corn and soy farm with his father and brother, was invited there, since Innergex wanted to install a wind turbine on his land. He spread the word to other people, so much so that journalists, citizens and a municipal councilor showed up. However, these visitors were excluded from the meeting by the energy company.
Mr. Renard attended it. “They talked a lot about transparency, when there is nothing transparent,” he judged. “They should start by asking the entire population if they want it or not,” he continued, stressing that all citizens in the area are likely to suffer possible nuisances. He does not understand why it would be necessary to install wind turbines on “the most beautiful lands of Quebec”.
Innergex affirms for its part that it is too early to present the project to all citizens given its “very preliminary” stage. Luc Leblanc, development director, explained the usual process: “We first meet the elected officials, then we go see the private owners. » At this meeting, they notably presented technical elements of the project, such as the construction and dismantling process. The owners were also able to learn that they would obtain $6,000 annually per megawatt installed on their land. If the project continues, open houses to the population could take place at the end of the summer or in the fall, according to Mr. Leblanc.
In their quest to stimulate citizen reflection, Pierre Renard and other concerned citizens of Saint-Pie will organize their own information meeting at the beginning of July. They plan to invite Innergex, municipal representatives, experts and citizens critical of wind turbines from other municipalities.