(Quebec) The Legault government will violate the law on sustainable development if it increases the rate of nickel in the air as planned.
Posted at 7:48 a.m.
This is what the Parti Québécois (PQ) supports, which challenges the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette.
The CAQ government wants to increase the standard of nickel particles in the air to increase it from 14 to 70 nanograms per cubic meter per day.
In a letter sent to the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, PQ MP Sylvain Gaudreault recalls that the upward revision of this standard would go against the “precautionary principle” included in the law on sustainable development.
According to this rule agreed upon in international agreements, it is better to act to prevent health or environmental risks, even in the event of a lack of technical or scientific knowledge.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, the PQ MP for Jonquière said that there were currently too many uncertainties regarding the level of exposure to nickel to consider raising the current standard.
Therefore, when you are not sure, you should not take risks, in his words.
Mr. Gaudreault also does not rule out asking the National Assembly to mandate the Sustainable Development Commissioner to rule on this issue.
Remember that the City of Quebec is holding consultations on this issue because one of its neighborhoods, Limoilou, has been regularly exposed in recent years to particle levels exceeding the limit.