Quebec promises a series of public consultations this spring to reform the mining regime.
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The Minister for Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, explains in an interview that she will be touring the regions with her team from April.
She wants to hold exchange workshops and advisory tables with the population, mining companies, the municipal sector and environmental organizations.
Some consultations also take place online.
FOLLOW THE RULES OF QUEBEC
“We want the companies that come here to follow Quebec’s rules. I want to make sure we harmonize. There is an opportunity to seize […] the development of critical and strategic minerals and the decarbonization of our economy to see and carry our mining regime into the 21st century,” explains Ms. Blanchette Vézina.
Mining claims and the manner in which they will be granted, Quebec mining demergers and land use planning related to mining activities will be the focus of these consultations, the minister promises.
The processes surrounding areas incompatible with mining will also be a subject of discussion.
“It was a request from several MRCs and municipalities,” says Ms. Blanchette Vézina.
SOCIAL COMPATIBILITY
Organizations will be able to submit briefs and share their concerns to “better align our mining regime with the concerns.”
The question of the social compatibility of the projects is also addressed.
Several citizens have reported to the JE team that they are being harassed by mining exploration activities.
“For people who are more stubborn, I want to know what their concerns are and how we can do things better,” says Maïté Blanchette Vézina.
—Collaborated by Richard Olivier
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