If the City of Quebec claims to have its own standard for the concentration of nickel in the air, the municipality would ask the provincial government to transfer money to it to cover the additional costs, Bruno Marchand suggested on Tuesday.
• Read also: Limoilou is right to worry
• Read also: Nickel: the City of Quebec could ask to have its own standard
“Having control over a standard, if we are responsible for it, with no budget, is problematic. It means that we take charge of something that is currently the responsibility of the government, “slipped the mayor of Quebec, Tuesday, on the sidelines of a press briefing.
According to him, “these are things that we look at. What are the costs? What measures should be put in place? And will the City of Quebec have to pay for that? We’ll get back to you on that.”
Upcoming talks
Affirming “that there is no reason for Quebec to be treated differently from Montreal”, Bruno Marchand added this: “Is it up to the City to take on these responsibilities? May be. Will the government have to support us? These are discussions that we will have.
During a technical presentation held on Monday, the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of the Environment, Jacob Martin-Malus, explained that the City of Quebec – like Montreal – has the right to ask the government to have its own nickel standard. Should such a request be presented, a green light from the Minister of the Environment would be required.
The day after tomorrow, Thursday, the City of Quebec will organize a plenary committee on the subject of nickel and particularly on the government’s intention to allow the industry, by regulation, to quintuple the concentration of nickel allowed in the air. It is only after this plenary committee meeting that the municipal administration will make known its position on the draft government by-law.