Pierre Fitzgibbon fears that opposition to the Northvolt project in Montérégie will damage Quebec’s credibility abroad by sending the wrong signal to potential investors.
• Read also: Northvolt factory: work suspended until Tuesday
Last Friday, the Swedish company paused preparatory work on the site which will host its future battery cell factory, while waiting to know whether or not it will be able to continue felling trees.
The Quebec Environmental Law Center (CQDE) had filed a request the day before for a provisional injunction to suspend work on the 170-hectare site.
The organization wants to know if the government authorization which allows Northvolt to cut down trees and encroach on a wetland was granted according to the rules of the art, which it doubts.
Questioned on this subject Monday morning on the airwaves of 98.5, the Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, deplored “the surge of hostility” towards the Swedish company. According to him, such opposition risks discouraging other investors from coming to carry out projects in the province.
“My fear is that we are affecting Quebec’s credibility outside of Quebec,” he said.
“I have had discussions, and people are clearly wondering: are we welcome in Quebec?” added the minister.
Mr. Fitzgibbon also maintained that the Northvolt project was not subject to a BAPE assessment because “the rules did not require it”, while ensuring that environmental rules will be respected.
“Northvolt, when you look at the company, they are very rigorous. Their values, in my opinion, are the values that we want for economic development,” he argued.
Then, agreeing that one should not “be a cowboy” in granting government authorizations, the minister said that one must still “be careful because the debate can often be a little simplistic.”
“But basically, the requirements of the Ministry of the Environment for Northvolt and the other factories will be respected, failing which there will be negative measures,” he reiterated.
The Quebec Superior Court hearing which must examine the CQDE’s request for an injunction will take place on Tuesday.