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Rare dissent as federal panel endorses $4 billion Quebec hydro project |
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Tuesday, 05 December 2006 |
Montreal (CP)-With the rare dissent of one of its members, a federal panel has approved the diversion of the Rupert River as part of a plan to build a hydro generating station in northern Quebec.
"I consider that the cost of the project is clearly advantageous compared to the other proposed hydroelectric projects," Jocelyne Beaudet said in her dissenting report.
"I agree with the conclusions according to which the project's main advantages are the economic spin-offs it will generate for northern Quebec and the surrounding regions and that, although these benefits will be temporary and concentrated during the construction phase, they could lead to the acquisition of expertise and the creation of businesses."
"However, I do not believe that these advantages outweigh the project's negative impacts and some uncertainty remains regarding the magnitude of these impacts."
Beaudet has worked for more than 20 years in environmental stewardship and issues of public participation.
The other panel members endorsed the 83 recommendations.
"The panel believes that the anticipated environmental and social impacts will be numerous and widespread, but the impacts are definable and can be mitigated in a satisfactory manner if all of the necessary conditions are put into effect," wrote Bernard Forestell, Pierre Magnan, Brian Craik and Philip Awashish.
The Quebec government recently approved the $4 billion project.
Three Cree villages most affected by the river's diversion massively voted against the project in a referendum last week.
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