{"id":44494,"date":"2020-11-05T10:22:51","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T15:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=44494"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:10:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:10:18","slug":"bape-on-gnl-quebec-historic-participation-exposes-the-flaws-of-an-outdated-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/44494\/bape-on-gnl-quebec-historic-participation-exposes-the-flaws-of-an-outdated-project\/","title":{"rendered":"BAPE ON GNL Qu\u00e9bec: HISTORIC PARTICIPATION EXPOSES THE FLAWS OF AN OUTDATED PROJECT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Quebec City, November 5, 2020 – <\/strong>On Wednesday, the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement <\/em>(BAPE) consultations on the proposed fossil gas liquefaction plant in the Saguenay region concluded, having witnessed historic public participation. <\/p>\n\n

It was historic because of the incredible quantity and quality of the documents filed by the public, because of the diversity of speakers and because of the incredible participation of Quebec youth. <\/p>\n\n

At the end of the hearings, more than 90% of testimonies were against or clearly opposed to the project<\/a>. Beyond this simple tally, the wide-ranging sentiment expressed and felt during the hearings in the past two weeks was one of consternation that in 2020, in the midst of a climate crisis, we must still mobilize against a fossil fuel development project.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Here is an overview of the project<\/a> <\/p>\n\n

A moral issue<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

There was broad consensus over the past two weeks about the need to study the entire project (from the extraction of fossil gas to its combustion), with individuals, organizations and experts deploring the fact that the mandate of the BAPE commission is only a truncated and dishonest vision of reality.<\/p>\n\n

The moral issue that the project could have disastrous consequences for future generations, was emphasized by many young Quebecers during the hearings. <\/p>\n\n

“We are the future workforce and we are not interested in working for GNL\/Gazoduq. We are the generation that will suffer the environmental consequences of this project, and the investors and decision-makers don’t seem to want to listen to us,” said representatives of the <\/strong>Association g\u00e9n\u00e9rale des \u00e9tudiants et \u00e9tudiantes du coll\u00e8ge de Chicoutimi <\/em><\/strong>(AGEECC). <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Promoter’s arguments destroyed one by one<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In response to the many concerns heard during the hearings, advocates of the project did nothing more than repeat the promoter\u2019s sales arguments over and over again, without regard for the scientific studies demonstrating the economic non-viability of this fossil gas liquefaction plant or its unacceptable environmental impacts.<\/p>\n\n

The promoter boasted that the GNL project is a “transition” project, but it has been proven that it would be a much more polluting project than presented and that it would destroy all of Quebecers’ efforts to respond to the climate emergency. Taking into account GHG emissions over the entire life cycle (from extraction in Alberta to international combustion, including methane leaks when the wells are closed<\/a> at the end of the operation and along the entire route), the project would generate at least 50 million tons of GHGs each year.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n

The promoter also presented the project as an economic boost for the region, its market study was severely criticized by independent economists<\/a>. The liquefaction plant could, in contrast, deal a huge blow to the tourist industry in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and other regions bordering the fjord. It has been demonstrated by numerous organizations and experts that there is no market to buy the project\u2019s gas.<\/p>\n\n

The promoter also sought to minimize the risks of the project for local biodiversity, but it was clearly proven that the passage of huge GNL tankers would threaten numerous species, including beluga whales<\/a> and other cetaceans, fish, birds and mammals.<\/a><\/p>\n\n

“In light of everything that has been exposed in recent weeks, we would like to emphasize that anything other than a clear and unequivocal rejection of the project by the government will result in an unparalleled mobilization and outcry. Quebecers deserve better. We have already managed to shut the door on other outdated fossil fuel projects. We will do it again,” concluded the various groups.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Quick highlights:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

-More than 2500 briefs were filed for the BAPE.<\/p>\n\n

-There were 178 participants at the hearings.<\/p>\n\n

– 89 244 Quebecers have signed the petition<\/a> to express their opposition to the project.<\/p>\n\n

– 48 student associations, representing more than 300,000 students, have adopted a mandate against the project.<\/p>\n\n

-30-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Participating organizations: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Marc-Andr\u00e9 Viau, \u00c9quiterre<\/p>\n\n

Adrien Guibert-Barthez, Coalition Fjord<\/p>\n\n

Ana\u00efs Barbeau-Lavalette, M\u00e8res au front<\/p>\n\n

Dominic Champagne, Pacte pour la transition <\/p>\n\n

Henri Jacob, pr\u00e9sident Action bor\u00e9ale<\/p>\n\n

Jacques Rousseau, Regroupement vigilance hydrocarbures Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n\n

Lilas Lamontagne Carpin, Mouvement citoyen littOralement inacceptable (MCLI)<\/p>\n\n

Alice-Anne Simard, Nature Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n\n

Patrick Bonin, Greenpeace Canada<\/p>\n\n

Rodrigue Turgeon, Collectif abitibien Gazoduq, parlons-en!<\/p>\n\n

Caroline Brouillette, R\u00e9seau action climat Canada<\/p>\n\n

Dean Evangeliou, Climate Reality Project Canada<\/p>\n\n

Sophie Paradis, Fonds mondial pour la nature (WWF-Canada)<\/p>\n\n

R\u00e9becca P\u00e9trin, Eau Secours<\/p>\n\n

R\u00e9al Lalande, Action Climat Outaouais<\/p>\n\n

Andr\u00e9 B\u00e9lisle, AQLPA<\/p>\n\n

Andr\u00e9-Yanne Parent, Projet de la r\u00e9alit\u00e9 climatique Canada<\/p>\n\n

Ashley Torres, Coalition \u00e9tudiante pour un virage environnemental et sociale (CEVES)<\/p>\n\n

Marie-Eve Sigouin, Coalition anti-pipeline de Rouyn-Noranda (CAP-RN)<\/p>\n\n

Marie-Jos\u00e9e B\u00e9liveau, Alternatives et Collectif Femmes pour le Climat<\/p>\n\n

Esther Auger, P\u00e9troliques anonymes<\/p>\n\n

Simon Guiroy, Action \u00e9tudiante \u00abArr\u00eatons GNL!\u00bb<\/p>\n\n

Diego Creimer, Fondation David Suzuki<\/p>\n\n

Denise Laprise, Montmagny en transition<\/p>\n\n

Lucie Mass\u00e9, Action Environnement Basses-Laurentides<\/p>\n\n

Marie-Christine Milot, La Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite en sant\u00e9 <\/p>\n\n

Pascal Bergeron, Environnement Vert Plus<\/p>\n\n

For more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Adrien Guibert-Barthez, spokesperson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Coalition Fjord<\/p>\n\n

(418) 376 3371<\/p>\n\n

comm.fjord@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Anthony C\u00f4t\u00e9 Leduc, media contact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u00c9quiterre<\/p>\n\n

(514) 605 2000<\/p>\n\n

acoteleduc@equiterre.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

78% of testimonies were against or clearly opposed to the project (138 AGAINST, 36 FOR). Beyond this simple tally, the wide-ranging sentiment expressed and felt during the hearings in the past two weeks was one of consternation that in 2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":44653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"not set","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[23,25,27,29,32],"p4-page-type":[14],"class_list":["post-44494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate","tag-climate","tag-energysolutions","tag-forests","tag-indigenous","tag-oil","p4-page-type-press-release"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44494"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71016,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44494\/revisions\/71016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44494"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=44494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}