The majority of Quebecers believe that mining companies and governments should do more to protect the environment and people’s health, according to a Léger poll commissioned by the Coalition Québec Meilleur Mine obtained by The duty.
A dozen questions on the mining industry and environmental protection were asked between July 15 and 18 by the marketing firm to a Web sample of 995 people representative of the Quebec population.
The results of the study indicate in particular support for several changes to the policies in place. Among other things, they tell us that 81% of respondents believe that “old mines like the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda must meet the same emission standards for arsenic and other metals as everywhere else in Quebec”.
“For us, this is a strong signal,” said spokesperson for the Regroupement vigilance mines de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Marc Nantel, whose organization is a member of the coalition. “I think it’s going to put pressure on the government, that we can’t continue to exploit the resources while ignoring the health of people and the environment. »
For several weeks now, the Glencore company’s foundry has been making headlines because of the impact of its emissions of arsenic and other contaminants on the health of the inhabitants, fauna and flora of the surrounding area. Due to a special permit, the Horne smelter has the right to emit up to 100 nanograms of arsenic per cubic meter, while the Quebec standard is 3 ng/m3.
Singer-songwriter Richard Desjardins, spokesperson for Action boréale, has been concerned for at least 40 years about the pollution caused by the copper smelter. According to him, the results of this survey are good news. “Despite all the publicity [effectuée par l’industrie minière] to have a good image, people realize that it continues to pollute. That’s the reality,” he remarks.
The Government of Quebec launched a campaign this year highlighting the importance of the mining industry for the green economy, as part of the Quebec Plan for the Valorization of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025. The Quebec Mining Association has also launched an advertising offensive in recent years.
However, 68% of Quebecers feel that the mining industry “causes significant negative impacts on the environment,” according to the survey.
The toxic discharges of this industry are also in the spotlight in Quebec. Nickel pollution in the port of the capital must stop, according to 73% of respondents. However, the Legault government authorized in the spring a tolerance threshold five times higher in this area. The mining company Glencore is also involved in the case.
The spokesperson for the Citizen Vigilance Initiative of the Port of Quebec, Véronique Lalande, is not surprised by the results of the survey. “There is really an awareness of all citizens who live near industrial sites of mining, processing and transit, like us, she noted. We can develop economic activities, even heavy industrial ones, as long as we properly protect populations and the environment, instead of being in search of the highest profit. »
In favor of new measures
Several other measures proposed in the survey won popular favour. We are talking in particular about prohibiting the dumping of mining waste in any lake, any river and any sensitive ecological environment, requiring the consent of local populations before authorizing any mining activity and prohibiting any mining project in tourist areas or resort.
These positions have delighted residents and elected municipal officials of the Laurentians and Outaouais, who claim the protection of a more large part of their territory against mining development. The Regroupement de protection des lacs de la Petite-Nation has also installed last weekend about fifty posters declaring “incompatible to mining activity” 21 municipalities of the MRC of Papineau, with the support of the latter. and the prefect of the MRC.
These citizens are particularly opposed to the La Loutre open-pit graphite mine project, fearing its effect on the surrounding lakes, where there are many cabins. “Graphite is important, but it should not be done like in the Wild West, without taking into account the other activities carried out in these territories. We also want to save agricultural land, ”claimed the mayor of Duhamel, David Pharand. He is concerned about the growing interest of companies and individuals, who are acquiring claims — mining exploration titles — on the territory of the region. Especially since mining rights generally take precedence over other land uses, which can go so far as to force the expropriation of the occupants when the exploitation stage arrives.
Richard Desjardins believes for his part that it is time to put an end to this primacy of mining. “Priorities need to be changed. The environment must come first,” he said. Quebecers are on the same wavelength: 79% of respondents to the Léger poll said they strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with “prioritizing health and the environment, even if that means that some mining projects will have to stop their operations.
Finally, 80% of respondents ask governments to “prioritize the reuse and recycling of minerals before exploiting more mines”.