A coalition of Montérégie groups, including the Citizen Action Committee – Northvolt Project, announced a mobilization that will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m. in McMasterville to challenge the government's decision to abandon the Northvolt Project without a full study by the Public Hearings Office continue to denounce the environment (BAPE).
Sabrina Guilbert from the Citizen Action Committee – Northvolt Project pointed out the many legitimate questions that remain unanswered and called on the government to make a transparent assessment. “We are formulating with one voice the demand for a full BAPE for the project as quickly as possible and inviting the population to demonstrate!” she explained.
The Citizen Action Committee – Northvolt Project is a group of citizens from Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville committed to the responsible development of the battery sector project in their two communities.
Patrick Bonin, climate-energy campaign director at Greenpeace Canada, who will take part in Sunday's mobilization, denounced “the Legault government's lack of transparency and the privileges granted to the largest private industrial project in Quebec's history.”
“By allowing Northvolt to escape the BAPE, the Legault government shows its indifference to the consequences of the project on the population and their living environment. This is unacceptable,” said Annette Herbeuval from the Conseil central de la Montérégie-CSN.
The group said in a press release that the project should be carried out “with respect for the environment” and with the consultation of the community and scientists.
Northvolt plans to cut down 8,730 live trees and remove 5,365 dead trees on the site where its future factory in Saint-Basile-le-Grand will be built. This is a situation denounced by many environmental groups.
Activists had also sabotaged the trees last month by driving nails and steel rods into them to stop the company from cutting them down.
The company recalled that it had announced the creation of a liaison committee to facilitate communication with the community.
“We believe in the importance of exchanging ideas and opinions […] Northvolt's mission is to build the world's greenest battery to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized future. We want to work with communities to make this goal a reality,” Northvolt said in a message to QMI Agency.