The government of Quebec has confirmed the purchase, for an investment of $38 million, of Rabaska land, more than a third of which will be returned to the agricultural zone, while paving the way for a possible project for the maritime sector, in its industrial part. .
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The Council of Ministers approved on Wednesday the final offer presented by the Ministry of the Economy to become the owner of the vast land where an LNG terminal was to be established, in Lévis, around ten years ago.
Remember that the conditions of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, among others, meant that this highly controversial project, which forced several expropriations, ultimately never saw the light of day.
Originally, Rabaska’s project was to develop an LNG terminal on Lévis-Est land. It was discontinued in 2013.
Courtesy photo
To give an idea, the land where Northvolt will be located in Montérégie has a total area of 172 hectares. That of the land of the defunct Rabaska project is 272 hectares, or 100 hectares more.
Return to agricultural area
The transaction with Quebec was concluded for $38 million, which corresponds to the “market price,” explained the Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon.
This is a slightly higher amount than the $29 to $34 million indicated in documents obtained by The newspaper last summer, and which was discussed in our pages in September.
“It is a very good price when we compare to the other lands that have been sold in the end, Charny, included,” argued Mr. Fitzgibbon.
“A significant part” of the land will be returned to agricultural areas. “As we speak, there were still 65 hectares under cultivation. […] The transaction means that we will increase to 109 [hectares] the area which will be protected and which, by decree, will be reintroduced into an agricultural zone. It’s going to be quite a first,” said the Minister of Agriculture, André Lamontagne, during a press scrum.
“It’s very restorative compared to the actions that were taken by the previous government,” considers Mr. Lamontagne.
“I find that we have found, in this project, a very good balance between a future industrial project and the continuation of agricultural production,” rejoiced his colleague Bernard Drainville.
Several possibilities
“We will see what projects can be developed on these lands. There are all kinds of possibilities. We know that the naval industry, the shipbuilding industry is booming in Lévis,” suggested the Lévis MP.
Only one certainty: the return of a LNG terminal project is excluded, assured Mr. Fitzgibbon.
Mr. Drainville also mentioned the battery sector, but given Quebec’s current energy capacity, the Legault government’s eyes are more focused on the maritime sector.
The Port of Quebec also participated in discussions with the government and an extension of its activities on the South Shore is planned. “Today’s announcement is good news. This land is the only one in Quebec that has a natural water depth of 15 meters while offering a connection to the North American rail and road networks. The port of Quebec will be part of the future,” responded the Port Authority in an email.
Mayor Lehouillier delighted
A little before the government made this purchase official, the mayor of Lévis, Gilles Lehouillier, did not shy away from his pleasure by speaking of an “excellent decision” on Wednesday afternoon at a press briefing.
“It’s the best of all worlds. The government has just made an important gesture for development. Not just from Lévis, but for the entire region. “It will propel economic development,” he said, referring to the idea of building “a new generation model economic park.”
Mr. Lehouillier said he was open to various industrial projects, excluding those involving fossil energy, oil or gas. “This is a use that we would not like to see on the site,” reiterated the mayor.
Worry
Solidarity MP Sol Zanetti, for his part, asks “the government to protect the agricultural vocation of the entire land of the former Rabaska project”.
“Lévis is the large city that has experienced the greatest agricultural rezoning in Quebec in proportion to its territory, the urgency of protecting this land is obvious. It is in our national interest,” commented Mr. Zanetti.
For its part, GIRAM “welcomed” the government’s decision to repatriate all Rabaska areas under its jurisdiction and management. He is delighted that his call for the “conservation of the territorial integrity of Quebec” has been heard.
The Group welcomes the fact that the northern part of the land has returned to agriculture. This is an “important step that absolutely had to be taken,” commented Pierre-Paul Sénéchal. Concerning the southern part, the Group is concerned about the impacts on fragile environments of possible industrial development.
– With the collaboration of Taïeb Moalla and Stéphanie Martin
The lands of Rabaska
- Total area of 272 hectares, which is equivalent to three times the size of the Plains of Abraham
- 65 hectares were still under cultivation
- In total, 109 hectares will be returned to agricultural zone
- Their buyout was concluded for a sum of $38 million, paid by the Ministry of the Economy
The stillborn Rabaska project in brief
- Presented in April 2004, the controversial LNG port project in Lévis, very close to the limits with Beaumont, benefited from strong support from the Charest government.
- Gaz Métro, Enbridge and Gaz de France were the original partners, which Gazprom joined in 2008, before withdrawing the following year.
- Construction of the project, initially estimated at $840 million, was to begin in 2010, with an opening scheduled for 2014.
- Despite a strong protest movement, the BAPE published after its consultations a report favorable to its realization, in 2007.
- The project was finally officially abandoned on October 3, 2013.