About fifty residents of Sainte-Marie-Salomé in Lanaudière on Saturday blocked the road leading to an abandoned sand pit where hundreds of trucks dump contaminated excavated earth every day. Access was not possible on Saturday morning.
Citizens of the small community of 1,200 people say they are exhausted and worried about our environment. They want to be heard and criticize the government authorities for their hesitant intervention.
Véronique Venne, mayor of Sainte-Marie-Salomé.
Photo: Radio Canada / Hadi Hassin
Sainte-Marie-Salomé Mayor Véronique Venne, who shares these concerns, believes her community is being held hostage. She regrets being left alone with this situation.
“The Ministry of Environment came last August and issued administrative penalties because traces of contaminated landfill were found. […] But it goes on. »
— A quote from Véronique Venne, mayor of Sainte-Marie-Salomé
Local residents were there on Wednesday to voice their concerns.
Every day, between 100 and 300 trucks drive to an abandoned sand pit to unload excavated earth from construction sites.
Local residents fear contamination of surrounding soil and water wells in the area.
With information from Hadi Hassin