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If it decides to exempt the Northvolt plant from the complete environmental assessment process provided for by law, the Legault government will choose to ignore the potentially major repercussions of this project, deplore the stakeholders consulted by The duty. He will also deprive himself of an opportunity to improve an industrial project in which the State will invest colossal sums.
Geneviève Brisson, professor in the Department of Societies, Territories and Development at the University of Quebec at Rimouski:
“By avoiding an impact study and a process that would involve an examination by the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment (BAPE), we are depriving ourselves of intelligent reflection on the short, medium and long term impacts, but also on the impacts of this project. People will be faced with a fait accompli,” she fears.
Ms. Brisson cites as an example the “boomtown effect” that will result from the project, i.e. a marked increase in automobile traffic, the massive arrival of workers in the region, the need to adapt infrastructure very quickly and the nuisances that will result, in particular, the construction phase of the factory.
“This project will necessarily have effects. Such a project will change things, particularly locally, but also in the region and for Quebec. These changes will create winners and losers. The idea is therefore not to be for or against a project, but rather to take note, upstream, of the effects of the project as part of an environmental assessment. It allows us to find solutions,” she explains.
Gilles Côté, from the University Center for Training in Environment and Sustainable Development at the University of Sherbrooke:
“This project raises several questions and the public’s concerns are very real,” he notes.
In this context, he invites the Quebec Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, to analyze the file “taking into account public concerns and the importance of the issues raised”, as provided for in the Environmental Quality Act. environment. On this basis, it could recommend to the government to submit the project to a process involving the carrying out of an impact study which would potentially lead to BAPE hearings.
“It is important to remember that environmental assessment processes do not only concern impacts on the biophysical environment, but also components of the human environment,” adds Mr. Côté.
Mr. Côté also emphasizes that the threshold set to subject such a project to the environmental impact assessment and examination procedure constitutes an “arbitrary” decision. In the case of Northvolt, the factory would be subject to it if it had an annual production capacity of at least 60,000 metric tons.
This threshold was set at 50,000 tonnes until last July, but it was modified by the Legault government. The factory plans an annual production of 56,000 tonnes, according to information reported by Radio-Canada.
Andréanne Brazeau, climate policy analyst at Équiterre:
“Normally, the bigger the project, the more rigorous the review. The government therefore gives preferential treatment to Northvolt. It is not up to companies to set the limits in our regulations. In terms of sound governance, it makes no sense not to hold public hearings when there is so much public money at stake,” she laments.
“While the labor shortage is afflicting Quebec and citizen movements against the factory are already taking place, a consultation by the BAPE would allow for a healthy public debate on the project. It could therefore not only allow greater transparency of the company and the government, but also respond to the concerns of the population,” adds Ms. Brazeau, citing as an example the issue of housing, but also the protection of agricultural land. of the region.
Patrick Bonin, head of the climate-energy campaign at Greenpeace Canada:
“The Northvolt gigafactory project raises several questions in the fight against climate change,” he says. Ultimately, Northvolt could require 360 megawatts of electricity, the equivalent of the consumption of 60,000 residences, and this electricity would not be available for the decarbonization of other sectors such as residences, businesses, industries, transport and l all other sectors. »
“Without adequate planning, granting a large block of electricity to Northvolt could be to the detriment of decarbonization and the achievement of Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. Electricity is not an all-you-can-eat buffet and the government must have a plan,” argues Mr. Bonin.
“We also do not know whether Northvolt would use fossil gas and the extent of greenhouse gas emissions for all of its activities. A BAPE would shed light on climate issues and improve the project in the event that it obtains the green light from the government,” he concludes.