Noises, smells, transportation… angry McMasterville residents want nothing to do with seeing one of the largest battery factories in the world land in their backyard, near Richelieu.
“We fear the noise. They will have to decontaminate. We don’t want toxic dust,” says Newspaper François Cousineau, who lives near the site of the future mega-factory of the Swedish giant Northvolt, the location of which has not yet been confirmed.
Monday, The newspaper revealed that Quebec was juggling the scenario of spending nearly $1.4 billion to have the Northvolt mega-factory in the Richelieu valley.
However, even if nothing has been formally announced, some local residents say they are already afraid of the scale of the $7 billion megaproject.
François Cousineau hopes to collect signatures to present his petition to local elected officials.
Photo Francis Halin
“I oppose residential rezoning to make way for Northvolt. I want to submit my petition on September 25 to the City Council,” sighs François Cousineau. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 379 people had already signed it, after a door-to-door tour.
Opponents of the project argue that there is no reasonable buffer zone between the factory and residences.
Photo Francis Halin
Concerned residents
Last March, The newspaper had gone to St. Thomas, Ontario, a town of 43,000 people that had just had the Volkswagen mega-factory. The mayor and the business community were jubilant, but citizens of a neighboring municipality feared the nuisance.
“We know nothing about the pollution of water, air, soil, noise and light,” denounced Diane Dubois, who lives in Central Elgin, on the border of the future mega- German giant Volkswagen’s battery plant in St. Thomas.
“It makes us cry, the rest of us, to see that,” Diane Dubois, who lives next to the Volkswagen mega-factory, told the Journal last March.
Photo Francis Halin
While the development of the battery sector accelerates here, it is the turn of citizens of Montérégie, like François Cousineau, to fear the worst.
The land is fenced and has barbed wire in places.
Photo Francis Halin
At Newspaperhe points to a retirement home and daycares next to the Northvolt mega-factory land.
“I told my loved ones that if it was built, I was going to move. I’m at 2000 feet. I do all this for my children,” continues François Cousineau.
A few meters away, Cynthia Blain, mother of two children, also has difficulty understanding that we are preparing to cut down trees to concrete over an island of greenery, while heatwaves are creating havoc and we have cruelly need green spaces to improve air quality.
Cynthia Blain and her daughter Estelle.
Photo Francis Halin
“It’s super worrying for the nearby waterways and wildlife,” she sighs.
“We fear for our quality of life. We fear noise and light. Already we can hardly see the stars anymore. It would be over,” she says.
She believes that the job creation argument does not hold water. “There are jobs everywhere. What’s the point of creating more in the midst of a shortage other than destroying them?” she asks herself.
Two steps from her, her neighbor behind her, who faces the public transport park and ride, on the contrary sees the arrival of the mega-factory with a positive eye.
Luc Hamelin
Photo Francis Halin
“It’s a good thing for the local economy. It will develop. I am for it, but I wonder where these employees will go,” asks retired Luc Hamelin.
Joined by The newspaperthe owner of the coveted land, real estate investor Luc Poirier, was optimistic, despite the waves aroused.
“Generally over time, people see that it’s very good. I see it with all my projects,” he observed.
Nature seems to have reclaimed its rights on the site of the future mega-factory.
Photo Francis Halin
“My plans are grandiose. They change neighborhoods and cities, so people, I understand them, but then they see the positive that it brings,” he continued.
Cautious mayors
Asked to react, the mayors of Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville said they wanted to explain the issues of the project to their fellow citizens.
“The municipal council adopted a resolution allowing a delegation to participate in an industrial visit in order to understand the activities of this type of company and to analyze its compatibility with the current and future development of the city of Saint-Basile-le “Great,” said its mayor, Yves Lessard.
As for the mayor of McMasterville, Martin Dulac, he conceded that it was “completely legitimate to ask questions.”
“We find it regrettable that people have apprehensions about a project, which has not even been announced,” he breathed.
“We are betting that citizens will see the positive effects before turning against it,” he concluded.
In recent days, Northvolt has not wanted to grant an interview because it has not yet launched a project here.
Last Tuesday, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that the $28.2 billion in Canadian and Ontario subsidies to the mega-factories of Stellantis-LGES and Volkswagen would not be profitable for 20 years.
– With the collaboration of Philippe Langlois