The National Confederation of Trade Unions (CSN) welcomed the plan put forward by the Horne Foundry in Rouyn-Noranda to reduce its arsenic emissions, but remains cautious.
• Also read: Horne Foundry: The wealthy multinational is backed by taxpayers
• Also read: Horne Foundry map: “It’s fixed with the Views type!”
The foundry’s owner, Glencore, indicated Thursday morning that it would comply with environmental standards issued by Quebec earlier this week. The foundry therefore intends to reach the 15 ng/m3 threshold in 2027, but also to reduce its emissions to 65 ng/m3 for 2023 and 45 ng/m3 for the years 2024-2026.
“It is reassuring to see that the employer is responding to the demands of the Ministry of the Environment,” said Stéphane Larente, President of the Noranda Mine Workers’ Union (STMN-CSN), in a press release.
“It is all the more reassuring that we not only work in the factory, but are also citizens who live nearby,” he added, specifying that these standards are “realistic”.
However, CSN treasurer Yvan Duceppe said he was disappointed at the idea that the city’s population did not yet have the right to the same environmental standards as the rest of the province.
“The company says it will comply with government standards. It is now up to the government to ensure that the targets are met,” said Félix-Antoine Lafleur, President of the Central Council of Abitibi-Témiscamingue-Nord-du-Québec (CCATNQ-CSN).