(Quebec) The CAQ government refuses to demand a higher fee for companies that take water.
Posted at 6:44 p.m.
In the parliamentary committee on the study of Bill 102, the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, refused Wednesday a proposal from the Liberal MP Isabelle Melançon.
Unchanged since 2010, the rate will therefore remain at $2.50 per million liters or $70 per million litres, depending on the type of use-which is well below even Ontario’s, even derisory compared to European countries.
The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) had nevertheless committed in this mandate to review the water charge, recalled Mr.me Melançon, while emphasizing that there are only a few months of parliamentary session left before the October elections.
The member felt that the study of Bill 102, which deals with several environmental issues, was conducive to addressing water pricing. She therefore tabled an amendment, so that the rate corresponds more closely to the value of water on the market.
Mr. Charette felt that this was not the right forum to examine this issue. The amendment was rejected in a vote by the majority of elected caquistes who sit on the commission.
“I couldn’t think of a better time, I find it really disappointing,” said M.me Melancon. I understand that the CAQ will have reneged on an electoral commitment. I hope that those who are listening to us have heard correctly. »
Although he had reservations about setting a value for water “on the market”, PQ MP Sylvain Gaudreault also called for a review of water pricing for production purposes.
“The abundance of the resource causes us to lose awareness of its value. […] It is not the multinationals exploiting our water that will make me cry. »
While Quebec receives $2.50 per million liters of water or $70 per million liters, depending on the type of use, Italy charges $2,000 per million liters and Denmark $100,000 per million. liters, denounced Isabelle Melançon.
In 2018, it was reported in particular that 2 billion liters of bottled water in Quebec had brought in less than $150,000 to the Quebec Treasury.
In the same year, Ontario received $23 million for water taken, noted the Liberal MP.
The Quebec Regulation respecting the dues payable for the use of water applies to all industries that withdraw or use 75,000 liters of water or more per day.
The royalty rate is $2.50 per million liters of water, but $70 per million liters of water for, for example, bottled water, the manufacture of beverages, certain mineral products and chemicals, pesticides, or the extraction of oil and gas.