Private companies that pump fresh water from Quebec’s lakes and rivers may soon have to pay royalties ten times higher. These new revenues would support the creation of the new Blue Fund promised by the Coalition avenir Québec during the election campaign.
The Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, tabled Bill 20 in the National Assembly on Tuesday “establishing the Blue Fund and modifying other provisions”. This provides for the review every five years of the royalties imposed on companies that abstract water from Quebec and creates, as the name suggests, the Blue Fund, a flagship promise of François Legault’s team in the election campaign. last year.
Since 2010, companies that collect Quebec’s blue gold, for bottling or not, must pay royalties equivalent to approximately $3 million per year. “We give it away, our water,” lamented Minister Charette on Tuesday, after presenting his new legislative text at the Blue Room.
Earlier this year, the elected CAQ had pledged to “significantly” raise these rates. Thing promised, thing due. In addition to his bill, Mr. Charette is preparing new regulations to increase the value of royalties by 900%. If things go as planned, its main provisions would enter into force on January 1.
“We go from three million dollars to 30 million,” rejoiced the Minister of the Environment on Tuesday. The goal, ultimately: to reduce Quebec’s water consumption. “It would almost be good news if we made less money with royalties than the 30 million that are expected because it will mean that there is a significant change in behavior that has been made,” said Mr. Cart.
New Blue Fund
If passed, Bill 20 will officially launch the Blue Fund, “particularly earmarked to finance any measure that the Minister […] can achieve in connection with the protection, restoration, enhancement and management of water”. It will also make sure to “prohibit or limit certain uses of water”.
In his budget tabled in mid-March, the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, had reserved $500 million for the creation of the Blue Fund. The increase in royalties, indexed at 3% annually and subject to change every five years, will partly finance its activities.
Where did the envelope of 650 million dollars promised in the election campaign go? “We are in the first year of a new mandate. Me, I was already very happy to have 500 million dollars confirmed. But you will see, depending on the budget, these amounts will be increased. And we are firm on the commitment that has been made, “said Mr. Charette on Tuesday.
Breaking the secret and banning plastic bottles
The Minister of the Environment does not just stop at the increase in royalties. The regulation that he will submit soon should make it possible to lift the secrecy on the quantities of water pumped by the private sector from the territory of Quebec.
The Court of Quebec had decided last year to prohibit the publication of this information to protect the “trade secret”. Minister Charette had since undertaken to intervene to review the legislative framework.
Companies that use water from aqueducts for commercial bottling are also on the way out. Bill 20 allows the government to prohibit the sale and distribution of products “in non-refillable containers”.
“The small bottles of water that are sold in Quebec and that contain only water from the aqueduct networks, for me, it’s nonsense,” said Mr. Charette without pointing to companies. of the finger, Tuesday. “So don’t be surprised. In the next year, we will hope to be able to submit a draft [règlement]. »