Environment Minister Benoît Charette stays the course on the nickel standard, but announces the creation of a working group on air quality near the Port of Quebec, as well as a new sampling station in the Limoilou district.
The new working group will have to draw up a “general picture of air quality in the Port of Quebec sector,” the minister announced on Friday. The group which, according to the Minister, will be “completely independent” will have to present a report on this subject by December.
However, the Minister is maintaining his position on raising the standard for nickel levels in the air, which is giving rise to serious concerns in the Limoilou sector. Saying he wanted to “reassure” the population, Minister Charette repeated that his department had “supported [sur] very high-level scientific data” before raising the standard from 14ng/m3 to 70. “We would never agree to play with the health of the populations concerned”.
Thursday, the city of Quebec filed a memorandum to the ministry enjoining it to back down and not apply the new standard on its territory. Asked about his refusal to meet this request, the Minister pointed out that he was granting another request from the City by adding an air quality sampling station in the area.
Further details will follow.
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