Even if the facts show that the Northvolt plant will be built on a site which contains a great diversity of natural environments and habitats of wildlife species, the Minister of the Environment of Quebec, Benoit Charette, assures that the construction of the manufacturing complex in this location is a good decision, since it is an “industrial site”.
According to information released Thursday morning by The duty, the vast land where the company will be located thanks to public funding includes a total of 74 wetlands, 62 of which have “medium” or “high” importance for the “conservation of biological diversity”. Dozens of them also play a role in “carbon sequestration,” according to an analysis produced by a firm hired by Northvolt.
The site, which includes wooded areas, also serves as habitat for several wildlife species, some of which are threatened and theoretically protected by Quebec legislation. “The land has regained a natural appearance with relatively dense vegetation”, since the end of the industrial activities which took place on site for decades, also notes WSP in a document obtained under the Access to Information Law .
In this context, could the factory project have been carried out elsewhere in Quebec, to avoid the destruction of wetlands and wooded areas? “The decision on where to establish their projects rests with Northvolt. However, the establishment of a manufacturing project on an industrial site is consistent with the laws and regulations in force,” indicated to Duty the office of Minister Benoit Charette. The zoning of the land, which has not been modified since the end of industrial activities in 1999, effectively allows the construction of a factory.
“With regard to the wet and natural environments of the site, the company must meet the requirements of the Ministry of the Environment in addition to providing all the necessary insurance and compensation required in this type of file,” specified the office of the minister, by email. The compensation has not yet been specified and it could be of a monetary nature, and therefore be financed by public funds.
“Beautiful project”
Questioned by Radio-Canada on Thursday, Minister Benoit Charette also came to the defense of Northvolt. “We are going to hope that this great project will be completed as quickly as possible. » He added that the company does not benefit from any “free pass” to accelerate the authorization of the project.
Northvolt submitted a request in September to be able to carry out an “intervention” in wetlands on the site it has just acquired thanks to a loan from Investissement Québec, which is a state corporation.
According to a schedule of “completion stages” included in a WSP report filed with the Quebec Ministry of the Environment, the company hoped to be able to quickly carry out work on the site. She wanted to carry out “deforestation” between October and November, but also destroy natural environments, including wetlands, by mid-December.
By doing so, the company would comply with federal regulations, which allow the destruction of nesting habitats of migratory birds, but only outside the nesting season. The work would also bury alive hibernating animals, including painted turtles and snapping turtles.
For the moment, however, Northvolt has not obtained the requested authorizations. The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks only decided that the project would not be subject to the environmental procedure normally provided for major industrial projects. Only phase three may have to pass the test of an environmental review. This would take place once the factory is already in operation.
In July, the Legault government modified the rules that would have required Northvolt to produce an impact study of its factory project. From now on, battery factories are covered by a provision which sets the threshold of liability at an annual production capacity of 60,000 metric tonnes. Northvolt plans production of 56,000 tonnes, according to available information.