Voices continue to rise calling for the Northvolt Battery factory project in Montérégie to be scrutinizedthe Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE), which Premier François Legault has dismissed so far. But what message is the government sendingwanting to exempt the largest private industrial project in Quebec’s history from the environmental assessment process?
The Northvolt mega-factory project, announced with great fanfareQuebec and Ottawa, who have contributed a total of $7.3 billion, promises to manufacture electric vehicle batteries with a virtually zero carbon footprint and create 3,000 jobs. The province is positioning itself as a leader in the battery industry. However, the project does not meet the criteria for automatic submission to the BAPE evaluation process. The regulation that determines if the mega-factory should be subject to the process was modified a few months before the announcement.
Although the government claims that these changes were not made to favor the arrival of Northvolt, environmental law specialist and former BAPE commissioner, Michel Bélanger, believes otherwise. He believes the amendment was made in anticipation of potential battery companies. By doing so, Quebec chooses to modify the rules in favor of a new industry and to the detriment of others, which sends a bad signal to the industry as a whole.
While it is encouraging that the province is investing in green energy, Bélanger argues that Premier Legault is on the wrong pathcriticizing environmental advocacy groups who are calling for a BAPE assessment. It is not about opposing the project, but about ensuring that the rules are not disregarded.
The BAPE has always been seen as an obstacleindustry, economic development advocates, and governments who want to promote projects without delays. While the government has the power to mandate a proper environmental assessment, it has avoided doing so, relying on the regulation instead.
The BAPE does not have the authority to approve or reject a project; the final decision rests with the government. However, the BAPE has the power to investigate and compel a developer to provide necessary documents for project analysis. It also assesses the social acceptability of a project.
According to Bélanger, the richness of the BAPE process lies in the impact study. This document is essential to ensure that a good project is being proposed.
Environmental lawyer Camille Cloutier believes that without the BAPE, Quebec is missing an opportunity to better understand the public’s concerns and improve the project. The BAPE provides an opportunity for the public to ask questions to both the company and government bodies and have access to expert opinions.
Sources: Unformatted original article
The Controversy Over the Northvolt Battery Plant in Quebec .
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