Air pollution and climate change 

[expand title="Insufficient Emissions Reduction Plan” expanded="true"]

The plan of 2030 for a green economy in Quebec aims to help the province achieve its objectives of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 37.5% compared to 1990 levels by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. However, it is focused on electrifying the transport industry - with some initiatives aimed at improving the energy efficiency of buildings and developing green energy, including renewable natural gas and other production of bioenergy. In addition to significantly neglecting social reproductionthe plan will reduce emissions by only 15% below 1990 levels.

Moreover, the electrification of transport is not the "green solution" that it is claimed to be, given the damage caused by the extraction of lithium for batteries. It has been found that carbon dioxide emissions during the life cycle of electric vehicle production are approximately 60% higher than during the production of internal combustion vehicles when lithium is extracted according to Chinese standards, while North American and European standards are less polluting. However, extracting one ton of lithium from the salt flats requires approximately 500,000 gallons of water, and the necessary evaporation of the water afterwards can leak toxic chemicals into the air and the environment. To reduce the environmental nuisances of the transport industry, it is necessary to invest in public transportwhich would dissuade Quebecers from using their personal vehicle.

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[expand title=" Fossil Fuel Car Emissions” expanded="true"]

Quebec's 2030 plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is strongly focused on the electrification of all modes of transport (cars, trucks, public transport). However, the ban on the sales of new gas-powered vehicles only includes vehicles for personal use, and not vehicles used for industrial and commercial purposes. In 2020, there were more than 6,834,681 million vehicles on the road in the province, and less than 2% represented electric vehicles. The number of cars is increasing faster than the number of people in the city of Montreal, and only 415,705 people use public transport to get to work, while 1.2 million people drivemany of them coming from the suburbs in Montreal to work downtown.

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[expand title="Lack Of Infrastructure To Reduce Emissions ” expanded="true"]

In the Quebec's Green Plan 2030efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in building construction are limited. Among these are targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by heating buildings by using more renewable natural gas and eliminating the use of fuel oil in favor of electricity. In terms of building materials, it is also proposed to increase the use of wood or other organic materials (which ones are not mentioned). However, there is no question of limiting the use of cement, bricks or other dangerous materials. Also, it is still not possible to build a house or a building only out of wood, underground parking lots always require the use of cement.

There is a lot of greenwashing that happens with new infrastructure projects (e.g. the Royalmount project in Montreal or the Turcot), where projects are considered "green" due to the planting of vegetation and gardens around buildings. In addition, the budget tabled in March 2021 by the CAQ government provides for infrastructure projects that will require a lot of cement and that do not fit with the vision of the Green Plan 2030. In addition, in this budget, $67.9 million over the next 5 years has been dedicated to accelerating environmental assessmentswhich does not necessarily increase the rigor of these.

As well, the expansion of the motorway system as with the third link for example, contributes to increasing greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging car use.

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[expand title="The Combustion Of Poor Quality Fuels In The Maritime transportation Industry” expanded="true"]

Burning low-grade fuel in shipping emits various air pollutantsincluding carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, sulfate particles, black carbon, and organic matter particles. These pollutants reduce air quality by producing particulate matter and ozone, while nitrogen and sulfur deposition contribute to acidification and eutrophication (see report here). On its own, black carbon has numerous impactsincluding severe health and respiratory effects, preventing cloud formation and thereby altering regional weather patterns. Also, it accelerates the melting of ice and snow, thus reducing the albedo effect, preventing the sun's rays from being reflected towards the atmosphere causing a rise in temperatures hampering the health and productivity of plants. In total, it has a warming effect 4.60 to 1,500 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Canadian regulations on black carbon emissions in the Arctic are insufficient, it is estimated that between 2024 and 2029, the use of black carbon fuel (HFO) in ships is expected to increase.

Despite the air pollution caused by the shipping industry, Quebec insists on moving forward with the construction of Port Contrecoeur near Montrealthus promoting the continued growth of Quebec's share of the shipping industry.

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[expand title="Poor Air Quality In Schools” expanded="true"]

The Ministry of Education asked schools in Quebec to test the concentration of CO2in order to check if the ventilation was sufficient to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Even though 95% of classrooms in Quebec have favorable air quality, 2000 classrooms in the province still had higher than average carbon dioxide levels. It is also reported that approximately 30% of classes still have to deal with non-functional CO2 detectors.

Expert groups have spoken out on the need for air purifiers to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and say it is an effective strategy in the fight against the pandemic.

When the CO2 level is higher than 1500 ppm, the air quality is not optimal and the government's only recommendation is to open the windows, even in winter.

More information:

• https://www.journaldequebec.com/2022/01/27/virage-a-180-degres-dun-groupe-dexperts-sur-les-purifiants-dair
• https://www.journaldequebec. com/2022/02/23/detecteurs-de-co2-a-lecole-5-des-classes-ont-a-pouvaise-qualite-de-lair
• https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/libre-opinion /674997/libre-opinion-il-faut-miser-sur-la-qualite-de-l'air-interieur
• https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/590400/des-tests-secrets-revelent- bad-air-quality-in-

• schools -air

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[expand title="Nitrous Oxide In Fertilizers” expanded="true"]

In 2020, greenhouse gas emissions from carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide continued to rise despite the pandemic. Nitrous oxide has been suggested to be 300times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxideand its concentration continues to rise in the atmosphere. Near 70% of the amount of nitrous oxide added to the atmosphere comes from agriculture and the use of nitrogen fertilizers. This problem arises not only in summer, but also in winter, because the bacteria convert nitrates into nitrous oxide which is released into the air when the soil melts.

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[expand title="Reduced Air Quality Due To Salty Roads” expanded="true"]

More of 1.5 million tones of road salt are used every winter in Quebec. A recent study shows that there is a chemical bond that forms from a reaction between a propellant gas and road salt, which when hit by the sun can break apart and release chlorine atoms and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere (nitrile chloride). The study showed that 80 to 100% of the nitrile chloride particles analyzed came from road salt aerosols. In addition,residues from winter salting and sanding create a thick layer of dust and dirt along the roads, which, when disturbed by cars, can become a breathing hazard.

This type of salt also has an impact considerable impact on water sources such as rivers and roadside water wells, where salt can contaminate water and make it unfit for consumption and can cause damage to biodiversity

More information:

https ://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-biggest-environmental-issues-in-canada.html

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/how-canadas-addiction-to-road-salt-is- ruining-everything

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[expand title="Sea Level Rise” expanded="true"]

Sea levels are rising. Between 2014 and 1993, sea level has risen 6.6 centimetersand continues to rise about 0.32 centimeters per year. This phenomenon is largely due to thermal expansion of the oceans, melting glaciers and melting sea iceall of which are linked to anthropogenic global warming.

The rise in sea level has its share of effects in Quebec. For example, it contributes to the shoreline degradationwith homes on the Magdalen Islands being exposed to cliff erosion. The same is true along the Gaspé Peninsula. The rise in sea level therefore directly affects the St. Lawrence River and the risk of seeing the banks and certain islands submerged will be more frequent. In addition, with disturbances to the hydrological cycle as a whole, which bring more intense precipitation, there is an increase in the frequency and intensity of floods on the Island of Montreal. Other possible consequences of flooding include landslides - as of April 30, 2019, spring flooding had already caused 82 landslides in the province. At the same time, 9,070 homes and 273 businesses were flooded, displacing 12,000 people. As sea levels continue to rise and hydrological systems to be disrupted, these effects can be expected to worsen.

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[expand title="Air Pollution From Wood Burning” expanded="true"]

The smoke produced by the burning wood in fireplaces and stoves emits a hundreds of different toxic substancesincluding carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, fine particles, nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (read their health impacts here). Wood smoke causes approximately 900 premature deaths per year on the island of Montreal. In fact, between 2002 and 2008, residential wood heating accounted for href="https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/air/chauf-bois/index-en.htm">42.7% of emissions of fine particles in Quebec, ahead of both industry and transportation.

The CAA estimates that nearly 100,000 homes on the island of Montreal are heated with wood, as are 20% of homes in the province. Wood burning is the source of 39% of fine particulate emissions in Montrealleading to a 2018 ban on residential wood-burning appliances that emit more than 2.5g per hour. Thus, only devices approved by the Environmental Protection Agency are allowed, which does not include devices sold before 2009. As well, it seems that wood heating is becoming more and more popular. It is however important to note that apart from the municipal decree of Montreal, the rest of the province is not likely to be subject to the same rigor. Indeed, the Quebec law on wood heating only concerns the sale of wood-burning appliances, not their use.

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[expand title="The Smell Of Garbage Dumps” expanded="true"]

It's no secret that garbage gives off foul odors, but for those who live near landfills, the situation is almost unbearable. Landfill odors come from the decomposition of waste. While most of the gases released are carbon dioxide or methane, those that contribute to the putrid smell are the hydrogen sulfide and ammoniaboth of which can be detected by humans even at very low concentrations.

This smell has been a source of contention for communities living near the landfills. A landfill located in Pierrefonds-Roxboro is the subject of complaints about the smell of a local site since 1985. After attempts to capture the smelly biogasthe site finally closed in 2020 after thirty-five years of odor complaints. Recently, the Valoris LET expansion project in Bury has been the subject of citizen opposition because of its likelihood of emitting foul odors. The Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement also ruled on this expansion project in June 2021, and recommended that the project could go ahead, but fears remain, particularly on the issue of the deterioration of the Bury and Bégin streams.  

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[expand title=" Too Much Dependence On Hydrocarbons” expanded="true"]

The new 2030 Plan for a green economy focuses primarily on the electrification of transportation to reduce Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions. After industry, Quebec's transportation sector represents 30% of final energy use ; in 2018, Quebec consumed 165,000 barrels of gasoline per day.

Despite its attempt to electrify the transportation sector, Quebec's recent history shows no signs of abandoning hydrocarbons. In 2018, Quebec refineries needed approximately 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day. According to a report by Canada's Energy Regulator, natural gas represented only 14% of Quebec's energy consumption in 2017, compared to 40% for refined petroleum products. The same report reveals that Quebec consumed approximately 591 million cubic feet of natural gas per day in 2018. To have a true "green economy", Quebec must considerably reduce its dependence on hydrocarbons, and not only in the sector of transport. Progress on this point has also been made with the recent Bill 21, which aims to prohibit the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in Quebec.

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[expand title=" Insufficient use of biomass” expanded="true"]

In 2011, 42% of the total biomass-derived energy potential was realized, most of which came from forest biomass: the potential developed for residential firewood, wood processing waste, slash, pulp waste paper and paper and spent liquor were 100%, 89%, 0%, 63% and 100%, respectively. On the contrary, the energy potential of urban biomass (municipal wastewater and putrescible household waste) and agri-food biomass (crop waste, manure, carcasses, and more) has been largely untapped. In 2020, biomass accounted for only 7% of Quebec's national energy production . Meanwhile, oil and natural gas are 50% of its energy sources. Furthermore, in 2019, 1.5 million tons of organic waste has  have been sent to landfill, despite targets to reduce this amount to zero by 2020, even if the percentage of organic matter has increased in recent years. There is still a lot of work to do to increase the use of biomass in Quebec, and focusing on urban and agri-food biomass is an excellent starting point.

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[expand title=" Lack Of Investment In Renewable Energy” expanded="true"]

Although almost all the energy in Quebec is produced by hydroelectricity, Quebecers are still very dependent on oil used in industry and transport. Energy is responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec.

Additional energy sources will be needed in Quebec as energy needs increase, especially in winter when the demand for electricity increases and with the emergence of electric vehicles. It is unlikely that hydroelectric dams will continue to be builtas they are much more expensive than other renewable energy sources. Solar and wind power are energy production options from renewable sources that are interesting for Quebec. With all this evidence pointing towards renewable energy, the Legault government is funding a gas pipeline project that promotes natural gas fracking as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, believing electrification is more difficult to achieve. However, the exploitation of natural gas by fracturing emits methane which is a greenhouse gas 30 times more powerful than CO2.

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[expand title="Refusal To Divest From Fossil Fuels” expanded="true"]

McGill University refuses to divest from the fossil fuel sector. Students are pressuring its banks (whose University Board is dominated) to withdraw their investments in fossil fuels and in particular, in the oil sands, and on the Board of Governors which is invested in fossil fuel-intensive industries.

Pressure is building on the province of Quebec to divest from fossil fuels as the effects of ocean acidification caused by burning fossil fuels. Today, Fossil fuels represent 1% of the portfolio of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which is equivalent to $4 billion. However, la Caisse has committed to divest itself of these investments by the end of 2022, in order to eventually achieve carbon neutrality of its investments by 2050.

More information:

https://www .ledevoir.com/societe/education/594315/fossil-energy-pressures-persist-for-an-investment

https://climatejusticemontreal.ca/campaigns/follow-the-money

https://www.facebook.com /DivestMcGill/

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[expand title="Lack Of Availability Of Electric Cars” expanded="true"]

In 2015, Quebec had planned to put 100,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2020. By the end of 2020, 92,000 EVs had been purchasedlargely driven by the cost of owning a vehicle. Electric vehicles represent less than 2% of all vehicles purchased in the provincewhich may be related to limited supply and vehicle models. Limited supply also means Quebecers must be placed on a waiting list several months to a year before they can obtain their electric vehicle. This situation will be problematic in the years to come, because Quebec plans to ban the sale of all gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

The problem with achieving these goals is that the cost of making an electric vehicle is more than the profitwhich may not be worth it for these companies.

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[expand title="29) Lack Of Availability Of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations” expanded="true"]

Although Quebec is the Canadian leader in electric vehicle registration, there is a lack of charging stations for these vehicles: 6,295 charging stations for the entire province, including 462 fast, as of 2021. There is still a lot of research to be done to make these stations more accessible and convenient for consumers. In 2018, Quebec changed the electrical code to require builders to include wiring for EV charging in homes and offer rebates to existing homes that want to install one. However, the older existing buildings may not have the infrastructure to install a charging station.

Regions of the province, such as Abitibi-Témiscamingueare exploring the possibilities of obtaining electric buses. However, in addition to the costs of an electric bus, the infrastructure for charging stations is not yet available or reliable to make this a reality.

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[expand title=" Pesticide Use” expanded="true"]

Glyphosate, a common ingredient in Round Up herbicide, used on corn, soybeans and canola crops in Canada, has been associated with cancers, infertility and liver disease. Despite the risks associated with glyphosate, it has not been banned only in Quebec in the forest industry and continues to be used in agriculture. Health Canada, which has identified "no major risk" linked to this herbicide, continued to certify its use for another 15 years. However, since glyphosate has been banned in many European countries, Canada is finding it harder to export its products (especially grain products), especially as more and more people are demanding a glyphosate-free environment. Due to continued use of glyphosate on crops, weeds have developed resistance to this herbicide. In Canada, more than 75 weeds have become resistant to herbicideswhich can lead to yield loss and the need to use more chemicals, which can be very costly for farmers.

The use of glyphosate as well as other pesticides, including atrazine and neonicotinoids, was found in nearly 100% of samples taken from rivers near agricultural farms in Quebec. Moreover, the presence of some of these pesticides exceeded the "normal" quantity for the water quality. In rivers such as the Yamaska, the Mascouche or the Acadie, the researchers had discovered 20 to 30 types of pesticides, many of which could be harmful to the aquatic life that resides in these watersas well as the flora and fauna that depend on them. Despite the harmful effects, Health Canada has not imposed a ban on pesticides like the neonicotinoid because it believes it poses no risk to human health and the environment.

Recent studies have shown that the cause of Parkinson's disease (which affects one in 500 people in Canada) is linked to long-term exposure to pesticides, including paraquat (used to kill weeds) and chlorphrifos (used to kill insects). The number of Quebec farmers who will develop Parkinson's disease should double by 2040. Despite these risks, the Prime Minister Legault has not banned the use of pesticidesas he believes the issue needs to be further examined before the government can take action. However, several municipalities in Quebec, such as Laval and Montreal have banned the use and sale of several pesticides, including glyphosates.

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[expand title=" Water Pollution From Agriculture” expanded="true"]

Phosphorus is commonly found in fertilizer and manuretwo common elements in Quebec agriculture. Rainfall can transport phosphorus to nearby waters, a phenomenon called " runoff of fertilizers "This can lead to eutrophication (for more information, see the sections "Degradation Of Lakes" and "Lowering the biodiversity of lakes"). Essentially, the increase in nutrients stimulates the proliferation of algae, which in turn create hypoxic environments known as dead zones. very heavy fertilizer userespecially compared to the rest of North America with phosphorus standards that are very permissive. Regulatory leniency is largely due to the fact that fertilizer manufacturers have seats at the decision-making table. The effects are measurable. Between 2017 and 2019, the nine analysis stations along the St. Lawrence River reported more than 10% of samples containing phosphorus concentrations above the guidelines, including six reported 50% of samples. Between Saint-Augustin and Saint-Charles, Lake Saint-Augustin is classified as eutrophic, while the other six lakes are mesotrophic to meso-eutrophic (halfway to eutrophic). Water quality will continue to deteriorate unless agricultural regulations are tightened, which is unlikely with profit seekers at the decision-making table.

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[expand title=" Choosing Business Over Family Farms” expanded="true"]

Current Farm Laws of Quebec discourage small local agriculture and pave the way for industrial farms. The Act respecting the preservation of agricultural land and agricultural activities achieves this in two ways: Section 28 prohibits the division of a single lot and Section 29 prohibits the division of two contiguous lots. This means that a small section of a lot cannot be sold even if the area is not used, as this would result in the division of the lot. It also means that when an owner buys two neighboring lots, even if they are divided by a road or a river, they become merged forever and cannot be divided in the future, according to Article 28.

This illustrates Quebec's preference for large industrial and profitable farms. For example, when a farmer from Sainte-Anne-de-la-Rochelle tried to sell the maple grove located on his land, having been unable to reach the quota. The MRC concerned refused the request, because she was worried about the potential profitability of a business on such a small piece of land.

Yet Quebec should do what it can to support local farmers. In general, family farms are usually more sustainable than industrial agriculture, as they are not solely driven by profit. Also, as a province that has always been committed to creating jobs for its citizens, it seems logical to support local farmers rather than focus on factory farms. Bill 103 voted in 2021 allows the fragmentation of land, which would make it possible to reduce the size of agricultural holdings to encourage emerging agricultural activities and family farms. However, some fear that this will accelerate urban sprawl and therefore call for guarantees that the parceled land is for agricultural production purposes.

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[expand title=" Small-Scale Animal Husbandry Is Not Allowed” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, the quota system prevents the raising of animals on a small scale. The quota system is based on supply managementwhich sets limits on production to ensure that supply meets demand (for more on supply management in Canada, click here). Quotas apply to chicken, eggs, turkey and Quebec milk, without which they cannot be sold. Quebec farmers can be exempt from these quotas if their production is low enough - farmers can produce 99 chickens, 99 laying hens and 25 turkeys without quotas. Unfortunately, these numbers are too low to be able to sell and make a profit as artisanal farmers. A farmer says his family eats 60-70 chickens, and the rest is spent on dinners with friends, making it nearly impossible to make a profit.

In addition, there are also minimum quotas for those who produce beyond the quota-free limits. These quotas are limited, often unavailable and incredibly expensive. In 2017, the minimum quotas were 775 chickens, 300 turkeys if outside the centralized selling system, whose quotas sold for $900 for 75 chickens and $500 for 6 turkeys. Note that the minimum chicken quota was 7750 before 2010, and due to strict quota transfer policies, no new smallholder farmers entered with the new 2010 quota in 2017 (read more about the quota system in Quebec here). This quota system therefore limits small-scale farming practices.

Low exemption limits coupled with unavailable (and therefore expensive) quotas directly discourage small farms. In addition, the UPA, which is the only union representing Quebec farmers, promotes large-scale production by financing large farms (to find out more, read the section "Monopoly of unions").

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[expand title="43) Lack Of Investment In Research And Development” expanded="true"]

Quebec agriculture can benefit from research and development to make these practices more sustainable. For example, cereals must be dried before being stored to prevent them from rotting. Many Quebec farmers still depend on propane for grain drying, as we saw during the 2019 CN strikeas farmers risked losing their crops. However, to think that our cereal production depends on hydrocarbons reminds us of our "overdependence on hydrocarbons" (read the "Energy" section on this subject). In the meantime, other grain drying technologies exist, such as natural air drying and solar grain drying.

Quebec tractors may also need a fresh start. In addition to the purchase of completely new electric tractors, the cost of which can hover around $100,000, research can be carried out for a possible conversion of diesel tractors to electricity. Even the new cable-powered John Deere tractor offers new insights into the future of sustainable agriculture by ditching the lithium battery (for more on the dangers of lithium mining, read "Inadequate plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" and "Underestimated environmental impacts of electric vehicles").

The advent of Automatic weeders can reduce the need to use herbicides by effectively eliminating weeds without the use of labor. This is beneficial, as weeds can become resistant to herbicides with continued use, and they are also toxic to humans and the environment.

Overall, Quebec could benefit from research and development in agriculture to make it a more sustainable industry.

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Waste Management

[expand title=" Failed Recycling Programs” expanded="true"]

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the average consumer to know what goes in the recycling bin and what should be thrown away. There is also a lack of standardization and accountability with individual brands adding labels and claims to their products but not having third party certification meaning what they claim to be recyclable may not actually be accepted by some recycling facilities. Product labeling is also a concern, as individual recycling programs may choose not to recycle certain materials (even if they state they are recyclable) or may not be able to do so for various reasons, which causes the products to be thrown away.

Because people are confused, they end up throwing everything they find in the bins assuming it will be sorted by someone at recycling facilities later. Many people in Quebec believe that it is up to sorting facilities to review items and decide what can be recycled, which would ensure that on 485,000 tons of materials sent to factories, 18% are rejected, sorted or not recycled. The problem with this approach is that mixing recycled (or dirty) products can cause contamination that can ruin books of recyclable materials. Although not the highest on the scale of contamination rates for residential recycling in Canada, Montreal's rate is 7.3%. Environmental groups point out that the recycling industry should reintroduce the concept of separation of recyclable materials by citizens in order to facilitate sorting in recycling facilities and reduce the risk of contamination. However, in Montreal, this process was stopped decades ago because it was believed that having citizens throw everything in one bin would encourage recycling habits in the city.

Studies have shown that 926,000 tons of recyclable materials are consumed each year in homes, but more than a third of these materials are thrown away. Reasons for this are that people don't care, it's too hard for them to recycle, or they know that many items won't be recycled anyway. As a result, waste accumulates in landfills, is burned, or adds to islands that are already full of plastic waste. The problem with recyclable materials that aren't disposed of properly is that they can end up in places they should be, like the side of the road. A farmer in Grand-Saint-Esprit is seeing an increase in metal cans and bottles thrown into his fields by motorists. These fields produce the crops used to feed his cows, which, if not picked up, can be harvested, chopped, and fed to the cows, which can be fatal to the animals. Although fines exist, they may not be high enough to discourage the increase in litter thrown out of cars.

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[expand title=" Soils Contaminated By Waste” expanded="true"]

The "Lieu d'enfouissement technique" (LET), which contains 80% of the residual materials, located at the limit of Haut-Saint-Francois and Sherbrooke, should reach its capacity in the spring of 2021. A call has been launched for an expansion in order to allow it to operate for another 54 years. The expansion would add 29.5 hectares which could hold 5.34 million tons of waste. Environmental risks associated with this disposal and expansion of the landfill would include contamination of the surrounding environment by emissions or leaching water, health risks associated with contamination, odors, unpleasant changes in the landscape and the degradation of wetlands.

More than 600 tons of hazardous materials from the Montreal REM project will be landfilled in Ontario instead of being decontaminated in a more environmentally friendly way to reduce costs. It was possible to send the materials to Saint-Ambroise, in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, where a treatment that neutralizes the contaminants could be used, but the managers chose not to do so because of the high costs. . The environmental impact associated with landfilling hazardous waste is that it can produce vapors that can escape into the atmosphere, and liquids accumulated from the waste can seep into the ground and affect water supplies. drinking water from surrounding areas. In Pointe Claire, it took nearly 6 years to clean up an illegal PCBS landfill (a man-made chemical made up of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms found in electronics and plastics). Exposure to these chemicals can cause respiratory problems and liver problems in humans.

Many questions have been raised about how to dispose of PFAS (used in heat, oil, grease and stain resistant coatings, such as on textiles or food packaging). These products typically end up in landfills, leading to soil and groundwater contamination. Once they are in water or in the ground, they will take at least a thousand years to die out. In February 2021, PFAs were found in the drinking water supply of Lake Memphremagogwhich was linked to a nearby landfill. Unfortunately, in Canada, there is a lack of policy or support for the regulation of ATP disposal. There are over 5000 PFAs in use in Canada, and none of them are restricted. Furthermore, Health Canada has indicated that they are not of concern to human health, especially at the level of exposure they present. However, a recent study revealed that children may be negatively affected by PFAs, particularly through breast milk.

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[expand title=" Car Waste” expanded="true"]

Quebec's scrap yards support a growing load of abandoned vehicles. The situation is even worse for isolated communities, whose scrap metal has nowhere to go. For example, Chevery is a municipality on the Lower North Shore with only 236 inhabitants, but whose scrap piles up and keeps piling up, monopolizing the territory. A big part of the problem for this municipality is that it is not not connected to a main roadSo waste collection companies don't bother to remove their waste.

Similarly, many vehicles are illegally abandoned. This creates a huge problem because as long as the vehicle is registered in a person's name, it cannot be sold or recycled without its signature. Additionally, if the vehicle has been abandoned on private landthe Sûreté du Québec has no power over it. Therefore, the vehicle remains in place and can contaminate the ground if, over time, gasoline or oil begins to leak.

Automobile waste does not seem to be in short supply and one can only imagine the amount of waste generated by abandoned vehicles and appliances and the resulting number of scrap yards. The fact that Quebec does not encourage the purchase of used vehicles doesn't help: while buyers of new electric vehicles are entitled to $8,000 rebatesused electric vehicle buyers are only entitled to $4,000. In wanting to save the environment by electrifying the transport sector, Quebec has forgotten too much about the waste generated by the purchase of new vehicles.

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[expand title=" Ecotax Does Not Encourage Change” expanded="true"]

When purchasing electronic devices, you may have noticed that a small fee called an "ecofee" is added to your bill. This fee is administered by ARPE-Québec to ensure the proper treatment of end-of-life electronic devices (see the importance of this fee in the "Electronic waste" section). The fees cover the cost of collection, transport and recycling of electronic products, as well as the financing of EPRA-Québec. Fees are relatively low: between $5.50 and $24 for the purchase of a new television, depending on its size, $1.25 for printers, $0.80 for laptops and $0.07 for cell phones, among others. These fees appeared in 2012 and were controversial ever since.

Essentially, the cost of recycling electronics falls on the consumer. It is important for consumers to be aware of the real environmental costs of the products they buy, as this could encourage them to make more sustainable purchases. However, with fees reaching a maximum of $24 and some being as little as pennies, these fees are too marginal to induce behavior change. Moreover, eco-charges do not raise awareness of the waste problem in the way that education campaigns would. Given that these taxes are unlikely to change consumer habits, one wonders why they are not paid by manufacturers instead. When products are created, it should be common practice to take responsibility for all stages of the product life cycle. Manufacturers should therefore make products taking into account that they also have to take care of them after use. This logic would probably favor a more circular economy.

So, to get the most out of ecofees, the costs should either be increased as a sort of environmental tax to incentivize sustainable consumption habits, or passed on to manufacturers to manage the end of life of their own products.

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[expand title=" Food Waste” expanded="true"]

The food waste refers to food discarded by retailers or consumers, including food scraps, spoiled food and plate scraps. Globally, food waste is a major environmental problem; when food breaks down, it releases methane, which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. That's why it's imperative that food waste is composted rather than landfilled (read more under 'Lack of composting'). The UK organization WRAP found that while food waste in the UK was removed from landfillsthis would be equivalent to removing 20% of cars from UK roads. In Quebec, the province's organic waste is equivalent to approximately 3.48 million tones per year.

In Canada, 58% of food is lost or wastedrepresenting a total value of $10 billion of food lost at the consumer level. It emits 56.6 million tones of CO2 equivalent.

Quebec is stepping up to fight food waste. In 2017, it launched the program of supermarket take-back, in which grocery stores donate excess food to food banks. Besides that, Quebec participates in various initiatives aimed at reducing food waste. Hopefully their plan to make composting services accessible to all Quebecers will help solve the province's food waste problem.

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[expand title=" Industrial Waste” expanded="true"]

In Canada, millions of tons of waste from industrial activities are produced every year. These wastes include acids, phenols, arsenic, lead and mercury. Industrial waste can also include waste from petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing and metal processing. Dumping of untreated industrial waste can pollute the air, lakes, rivers and soils and can affect all living organisms residing in these areas. In 2019, more than 320 substances from industrial waste were reported to emit 4.9 million tons of emissions. 2.9 million tons of these emissions were released directly into the air (from sulfur and carbon monoxide), into the water (ammonia) and into the ground (heavy metals). 822 kilotons of tailings have been reported which could have negative impacts on lakes and rivers. In Quebec, the government does not prohibit a mining company working on the Lac Bloom iron mine from destroying lakes and wetlands to store 872 million tons of tailings.

In addition to the environmental impacts of industrial waste landfills, the expansion of landfills can degrade the sites and render the land unavailable for other uses. As wind power develops, the blades (which only last about 20 years) are made from composite materials, i.e. fiberglass or carbon, which makes recycling these materials very difficult. While these materials don't necessarily seep into soils, they end up taking up a lot of space in landfills. Another issue is the impact of these landfills on nearby communities. In Kanesatake, more than 400,000 cubic meters of industrial waste is piled on their landwhich was once covered with trees, bushes and vegetation. In addition to the terrible smell that emanates from this landfill, it is located one kilometer from ten wells used for drinking water and irrigation. It is also three kilometers from the Lac des Deux Montagnes, which extends to the northern suburbs of Montreal and the western limit of Laval.

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[expand title=" Agricultural Waste” expanded="true"]

Animal waste,in particular equine waste, can be worrying, although they are used as fertilizer on farms, they can be released without treatment onto the land. Manure disposal methods are poorly monitored and documented in CanadaAs standard practices and regulations are rarely followed. Due to the large scale of livestock and manure, there is often too much manure that is applied beyond the natural absorption rate of the soil, which can run off to water sources. Poultry waste is just as harmful because it contains high amounts of phosphorus which can also leach into water sources. Waste and recyclables from farms are usually disposed of on-site by the producer or by specialized farm waste management companies, resulting in a mismanagement by local governments.

In Quebec, agricultural operations generate more than 11,000 tons of plastic waste per year and only 2,300 tons end up being recycled. Currently, there are no provincial recycling guidelines or programs that would allow farmers to dispose of their plastic waste (which includes scooping twine, grain bags, hay wraps and pesticide containers) in a sustainable way. Burying and burning plastic waste on farms is a common practice in Canada and can have a significant impact on air quality.

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[expand title=" Construction, Renovation And Demolition” expanded="true"]

Construction waste , renovation and demolition (CRD) are the residual materials from the construction, renovation or demolition of buildings and other civil engineering infrastructure. These wastes may include concrete, wood, asphalt, gypsum, metal, glass, etc. The recycling of this type of waste is extremely important for the environmentas it helps to avoid further damage caused by the exploitation of virgin resources and to preserve landfill space, by preventing the escape of these materials (see the section "Electronic waste" to learn more about this issue). As such, the Québec Residual Materials Management Policy aims to reduce residual waste by sending only the ultimate residue (waste that can no longer be recovered) to landfill. the 2019-2024 action plan aims to recycle 70% of CRD waste by 2023.

While recycling is important, we also need to think about our consumption habits. How often is it necessary to build, renovate or demolish existing infrastructure? Is it because they are falling apart or because they are outdated? In 2015 alone, the Recyc-Québec's CRD program has made it possible to avoid the landfilling of 1.8 million tons of CRD. That's a lot of CRD waste to recover- in 2020, a sorting site overflowed while the building was buried in waste. There was no more access to the inner courtyard without having to climb over the piles of waste, and two fires resulted in the spillage of contaminated water.

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Biodiversity 

[expand title=" Conservation Area” expanded="true"]

The 11 Aichi objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) requires states to protect 17% of inland areas and 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020. These areas were to be "of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services" and "ecologically representative" (to learn more about this objective, click here). As of March 2021, the protected areas in Quebec cover 16.7% of terrestrial environments and 12.22% of marine and coastal environments. To do this, Quebec has protected 19.15% of the Plan Nordan area of approximately 1.2 million square kilometersor about 78% of the area of the province of Quebec. This means that, of the 16.7% of terrestrial environments protected, 89.4% were above the 49th parallel (in the Plan Nord area). This proportion is disproportionate to the actual area occupied by the Plan Nord in Quebec.

This poses a few problems. First, the border of Plan Nord closely follows the border of the northern limit of the forest allocation. Therefore, protected areas allow logging companies to have access to the hardwood temperate zone. This is not just a strategic move on the part of the Government of Quebec (for more on this, read "Protected Areas Only In The North"), but it is also not representative of the ecological plan. It could also be argued that these areas are particularly important for biodiversity, especially because they are threatened by deforestation.

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[expand title=" Species Extinction/lack Of Biodiversity” expanded="true"]

Scientists estimate that between 0.01 and 0.1% of species disappear each year, an extinction rate of 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. The number of species coexisting with us is uncertain, but lies between 2 million and 100 million. If we calculate an average of 60 million species, this means that between 6,000 and 60,000 species disappear each year. If we take a new average of 33,000, this means that 90 species are disappearing every day. Another report indicates that about one million species could go extinct in a few decades.

A 2005 report showed that several known species had already disappeared at least locally in Quebec. From species currently at risk in Quebec include the beluga (to find out more, read the section "Whales/Decrease in the beluga population"), the North Atlantic right whale and the woodland caribou (to find out more , read the section "Woodland Caribou at Risk"). Officially extirpated (locally extirpated) species include the burrower, grizzly bear, Atlantic walrus, and rusty-legged bumblebee. Globally, climate change has led to the disappearance of species, mainly due to the destruction of habitats and invasive alien species (for more information, see the sections "Invasive Alien Species" and "Impacts Of Climate Change On Biodiversity").

Although this issue is global in scope, its effects are being felt here in Quebec. We cannot claim that the source of the problem is on the other side of the world or that Quebec has no responsibility. At home, Quebec engages in many unsustainable practices, as this page hopes to reveal, including the reduction of the number of wildlife protection officers. These decisions illustrate Quebec's superficial concern for the environment.

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[expand title=" The impacts Of Climate Change On Biodiversity” expanded="true"]

Climate change results from a number of different factors, most of which are anthropogenic, but the real crisis of climate change lies in the associated positive feedback. Positive feedback is a sequence of events that occur consecutively to amplify the initial change. For example, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that warms the Earth's temperature. However, warming temperatures are melting permafrost, releasing more methane and thereby warming the Earth further. The increase in carbon molecules, such as methane, contributes to acidification of the oceansbecause these absorb carbon from the atmosphere (to find out more, see the section "Acidification of the waters"). This contributes to the "bleaching" or death of corals, which are among the world's most biologically diverse ecosystems.

Another important feedback related to climate change is the arctic sea ice. Sea ice is highly reflective and therefore reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it, resulting in cooler temperatures. However, global warming is accelerating the melting of sea ice, which has the effect of increasing surface temperatures and causing further melting. The effects can be observed right here in Quebec. Warmer temperatures prevented the formation of sufficient sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, resulting in the erratic absence of harp seal pups and other ice-protected animals.

Although these are just two examples, the effects of climate change on biodiversity are very varied. Higher temperatures may increase the risk of forest fires. Overall, climates that are changing at the current rate do not allow sufficient time for species to adaptleading to loss of biodiversity.

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[expand title=" Addiction To Pesticides” expanded="true"]

Due to their dependence on chemical fertilizers that contain nitrates and phosphates, Quebec farmers are the biggest consumers in North America. Excess fertilizer can contaminate waterways, drinking water and can contribute to excessive algae growth. The Quebec farmers also apply too many pesticidesdue to limited regulations and an outdated law governing agronomists that has not been updated since 1945. Neonicotinoids are one of the most widely used pesticides in Canada. They are mainly used to control pests in agricultural crops such as corn and soybeans. They are dangerous for biodiversity, because they spread through plant tissues and can kill insects (especially bees and butterflies) by attacking their central nervous system. These pesticides can last a long time and end up in soils and waterways. Moreover, even at very low doses, they can have negative effects on birds by causing loss of sense of direction and weight loss. Ironically, a 2020 study found that neonicotinoids have no real benefit for corn and soybean crops and therefore have no benefit for farmers. They found that only 5% of these crops were at risk of insect infestation.

In Quebec, a larvicide called Bti has been used to kill mosquitoes, but it has a negative effect on bird speciesas the larvicide also kills other insects that these birds need to survive. Studies have shown that due to the use of Bti, some bird species have declined by 30-60% over the past 50 years.

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[expand title=" Invasive Alien Specie” expanded="true"]

Invasive alien species are species that are somehow introduced into new ecosystems outside their typical geographic range. They are of concern because they can seriously alter the stability of the ecosystem they have invaded, multiple ways In the absence of predators, they can grow to enormous abundances, increasing competition with other species with similar resource requirements; they can alter the local food chain; and they can spread foreign diseases. In doing so, they can increase the fragility of the ecosystem and lead to the extinction of competitive native species. Invasive alien species are often the result of increased globalization (read more in the 'Lake degradation' section).

The same observation can be made in Quebec, which has many invasive alien species. Aquatic examples include Eurasian watermilfoil, which, by forming dense colonies, threatens the biodiversity of waterways. Terrestrial examples include the Asian lady beetle, Japanese beetle, emerald ash borer, mute swan, and ring-necked pheasant. In 2019, the city of Montreal had to cut 40,000 trees that were infested with emerald ash borer.

The complete list of invasive alien species in Quebec is available here.

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[expand title=" Habitat Fragmentation” expanded="true"]

Amphibians , reptiles, fish and marine life are at risk due to pressures on their habitats from human activity, including residential, industrial and commercial development, and the intensification of agriculture. The copper redhorse, an endangered fish that lives only in Quebec, is in danger of disappearing due to the construction of the Contrecoeur port terminal project which was approved in early 2021. The construction of the wharf, the dredging activities, the installation of the pipeline as well as the increase in maritime traffic and the increase in contaminants are all factors that will negatively influence the survival of the copper redhorse. The project proposes mitigation measures to protect this fish, but biologists do not believe this will have a large positive influence on the fish.

In urban areas, habitat fragmentation caused by development or neglect also impacts biodiversity. In Sainte-Julie, the MELCC is under scrutiny for having agreed to transplant a rare or endangered species of ginseng in order to allow the construction of houses. Citizens fear that the transplant will not be successful and that this plant species will be lost forever if construction is approved. In Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, Rare maple trees located near Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital are in danger due to dirty snow (mixed with garbage and de-icing salts) illegally dumped by the hospital.

Monocultures are also a source of habitat fragmentation. Monoculture blueberry and cranberry fields, while good for local growers, are not good for bees that do not produce honey, resulting in the death of many native bee colonies. Christmas tree production is one of the most intensive types of monocultures, as only four varieties of trees (Balsam, Fraser, Canaan, and Cook) are grown. To make room for these monocultures, multi-species forests or native grasslands are destroyedreducing the number of birds, insects, mammals, plants and other elements of biodiversity that were previously found. Monocultures also use large amounts of pesticides which can further harm ecosystems and pollute soils and watersheds.

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[expand title=" Decreasing Lake Biodiversity” expanded="true"]

Eutrophication and invasive alien species both contribute to the loss of biodiversity in Quebec lakes. Eutrophication involves algal blooms that create hypoxic environments, as the inevitable decomposition of phytoplankton absorbs oxygen, reducing its availability in the water (for more on the process of eutrophication, see " Degradation of lakes"). Hypoxic environments are also known as "dead zones"and are devoid of fishery resources, including fish and shellfish. They hamper biodiversity by reducing species growth and reproduction, increasing physiological stresses and reducing habitat suitability, leading to forced migrations. The area of hypoxic waters in the Saint-Laurent continues to grow.

Invasive alien species can also lead to a loss of biodiversity in Quebec lakes. For example, the Eurasian watermilfoil is known to form large, single-species colonies that can protect the shelter of some animals, but deter some species of fish and lead to a loss of the diversity of aquatic life. In addition, its rapid and dense growth crowds out native plants. In 2018, the plant had been found in the St. Lawrence River as well as in 180 lakes, and 87 other harmful invasive species were documented across the province.

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[expand title=" Whale And Beluga Whale Population Decline” expanded="true"]

Since the end of the 2010s, the belugas found in the St. Lawrence estuary went from status from "threatened" to that of "endangered". In 2016, the beluga population in this area was around 900 individualshowever the size of their populations has decreased by 1% since the early 2000s. Studies have shown that the Population declines are linked to a change in migratory patterns caused by warming water temperatures. As a result, whales end up in areas outside their traditional migration routes, where there are few protective measures. Therefore, the whales die from collisions with ships and entanglements with fishing lines. Studies have shown that small fishing boats can also impact whales because even if the collision does not break the bones of the whale, it can cause fatal internal damage.

Water pollution can also impact beluga populations. The belugas are the most affected species since they are exposed to pollutants from the St. Lawrence all year round, compared to species that only frequent the river in summer. Several anthropogenic pollutants have been found in whale carcasses. Contaminants from aluminum smelters in the Saguenay region have been linked to intestinal cancers in belugas. These whales have the highest cancer rate of any other cetacean population in the world.

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[expand title=" Western Chorus Frog In Danger” expanded="true"]

The Western Chorus Frog, although not globally endangered, risks disappearing in Quebec due to the destruction of its habitat. These frogs are often found near major cities in Canada. In Quebec, they are found near the suburbs of Gatineau, and in the suburbs east of the Saint Lawrence River. These tiny frogs live in seasonal swamps and once these dry up in the summer, the frogs move into the forest. However, due to rapid residential and industrial development as well as the development of agricultural areas (which carries an additional risk of contamination from pesticides or fertilizers), the population of the Western Chorus Frog could be extinct by 2030. A proposed real estate project in L'Île-Perrot would destroy the white oak forest, an area where this frog is found. Protesters are pressuring the federal environment minister to sign an order to protect this habitat and endangered species. Before this call for the signing of the decree, the protectors were ignored by municipal and provincial governments who allowed clearcutting. In addition, this area is home to the largest population of white oaks, a rare species in Quebec.

Another area where construction was to begin is in Gatineau, where a half-billion dollar development project was halted due to the presence of Western Chorus Frogs in a green space. The proponent, who was awaiting approval from the provincial government, argued that this project promotes sustainability and stems urban sprawl, and that it has proposed an alternate area of land for the frog that has higher environmental value. The Port of Montreal expansion project will also threaten Western Chorus Frog populationswhich live in wetlands and on the shores of this region, due to the development of shipping. The director of the environment for the Port of Montreal authority argued that the port project would not cause a great loss of frog habitat because it is located away from the project site,but experts believe that the species will still suffer.

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[expand title="Inaccurate Flood Maps” expanded="true"]

Policy concerns about flood maps indicate that they are created arbitrarily and there is no mention of governments helping to create appropriate infrastructure. Residents of Pierrefonds, whose area has been placed on the flood map, saw their property values go down and insurance rates go up. They can't even get permits to do minor renovations, improvements or landscaping on their property. This area has not experienced extreme flooding since 2017.

Updated maps show flood risk along the Mille Îles, Prairies, but they could not be adopted for monthswhich means that construction can continue in these areas, while citizens wonder if their homes are in a flood zone and will remain uncertain about the consequences of floods on insurance rates .

More information:

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/beaconsfield-flood-map-errors-1.5204287
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/clouds-faulty- flood-maps-1.5201127

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[expand title=" Drinking Water Contamination” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, part of the drinking water is contaminated with lead, but another part is also contaminated with PFAS. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substancesare man-made chemicals that can have serious adverse effects on human health, including low birth weight, effects on the immune system, disruptions in thyroid hormones, and even the cancer. Lake Memphremagog, which crosses the border between Quebec and Vermont, is a source of drinking water for 175,000 Quebec citizens contaminated by this substance. The source is believed to be leachate from the Newport, Vermont sewage treatment plantand a four-year moratorium was put in place in 2019 to end the contamination. However, because this is the second time that PFAS have been detected in the lake despite the moratorium, citizens are fighting for a permanent moratorium which has not yet been accepted.

For lead contamination, the method used by Quebec for testing has been deemed imprecise as it requires the flushing of water from faucets for five minutes before collecting the sample. This greatly underestimates the lead concentration in tap water, shown by an independent study that analyzed  466 samples in 96 municipalitiesshowing a lead concentration exceeding the limit between 2015 and 2018, which was then 10ppb. To Montreal, 58% of the samples showed levels exceeding the new Canadian limit of 5ppb. More recently, several First Nations schools and daycares found their tap water had lead levels above the limit, although many were not notified until months after the results were discovered. Worse still, the solution they were offered with, was to let the water run for 10 minutes every day before the schools opened. It is important to note that despite the existence of an official limit, no blood lead levels have been identified as safe. Besides, side effects include problems with learning and attention, decreased intellectual ability, and behavioral changes.

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[expand title="A Lack of Public Transport” expanded="true"]

According to a report by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM), among the CMM and neighboring municipalities, 94% of workers mainly use a car to get to work. According to Mayor Valérie Plante, this is due to the fact that bordering municipalities are not required to respect the same density rules as CMM, resulting in low-density, car-dependent neighborhoods. What is needed is better urban planning and better public transport infrastructure to discourage the use of private vehicles. Meanwhile, the Government of Quebec continues to prioritize road expansion in detriment of mass transitwhile the budget allocated to mass transit is almost half that of asphalt (Rad discusses this at greater length in "Endless Road Expansion"). A study conducted by the David Suzuki Foundation revealed that young Montrealers are reluctant to use public transitbecause it is unreliable and services are not flexible.

To combat these shortcomings, Quebec must invest in public transportation. More frequent timetables and more extensive networks could help metro, bus and train systems. It might even discourage the use of individual vehicles enough to reduce traffic, which would contribute to the reliability of the bus service. Furthermore, the government cannot continue to privatize public transport, which could discourage Its use by raising fares for users and offering routes guided by profit rather than public interest . For example, the REM project may interfere with the planned expansion of the line of blue metroas the two lines will now share similar routes, a feature the private REM has conveniently overlooked. As well, the COVID-19 pandemic will have greatly affected the income of transit companiesthus causing them to reduce their service and further contributing to the problem.

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[expand title="Environmental Impacts Of Electric Vehicles” expanded="true"]

Electric vehicles are presented as the final solution to Quebec's environmental problems, while the negative effects of electric vehicles are conveniently overlooked. The main environmental problem of electric vehicles comes from the lithium required for their batteries. In 2016, a leak at the Ganzizhou Rongda Lithium plant in Tagong led to the death of fish, cows and yaks that floated down the river after drinking contaminated water. To extract lithium in South Americaa hole is drilled in the salt pans to pump the mineral-rich brine to the surface. After 12 to 18 months of evaporation and filtration, the lithium can be extracted. In total, it takes about 500,000 gallons of water to produce one ton of lithium. For reference, the battery in a Tesla Model S contains approximately 12 kilograms of lithiumwhich requires approximately 41,670 gallons of water. Evaporation ponds can also leak hazardous minerals into the environment. In Nevada, fish 150 miles downstream were affected by the process of lithium extraction. Recycling lithium batteries is also extremely difficult for a number of reasonswhich ultimately makes recycling them 5 times more expensive than mining new lithium.

All this being said, electric vehicles remain a solution. However, it cannot be considered the perfect solution to reduce our impact on the environment - more effort is needed to compensate for the disadvantages of electric vehicles. In addition, we need to reduce the overall consumption of personal vehicles by shifting to increased use of public transport.

For more information on electric vehicles, follow these links:

• https://www.downtoearth.org.in
• https://www.weforum.org
• https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org
• https://www.wired .co.uk

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[expand title="Less Privatized Public Transport” expanded="true"]

In recent years, the question of the privatization of public transit in Quebec has been raised. Specifically, about the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) project, a light rail transit in Montreal that will be owned and operated by the Caisse de depot et placement du Québec (CDPQ)which manages Quebec pension plans) for 99 years. The project is criticized because it is financed by the private sector, the CUPE arguing that the CDPQ is more concerned with making profits than serving the public good. This means that fares are likely to increase, the public will be less involved in the decision-making process and that social priorities such as the reduction of greenhouse gases will be neglected. CUPE members will also suffer, as privatization will put downward pressure on wages and working conditions, with some maintenance work even contracted out to reduce CDPQ expenses. Moreover, It's integration into Montreal's current public transit system will make it difficult to expand public transit networks and will also harm connectivity between existing networks.

Overall, the privatization of public transit does not benefit the public. By creating more barriers for users, it can discourage the use of public transit. At a time when we need to induce ecological change, the privatization of public transport is a step backwards.

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[expand title="Usage Fees Too High” expanded="true"]

Although Quebec's Green Economy Plan 2030 focuses on reducing emissions in the transportation sector, Quebec's strategy is to electrify industry rather than incentivize drivers to use public transport. This is clearly reflected in the fact that Quebec's user fees remain comparatively high. For example, the cost of a single bus ticket in Montreal is $3.50. Compared to major cities in other provinces, this is the highest fare for a single bus pass, on par with Calgary. A monthly bus pass in Montreal costs $90.50. Compared to major cities in other provinces, prices in Montreal are much better, with lower costs than a monthly pass at Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. Nevertheless, a study conducted in the United States shows that the average price of a bus pass in major American cities is US$67.07, or CAD 81.12.

The Montreal ARTM has a habit of raising fares. In 2013, protesters denounced the $3 bus fare. Between 2004 and 2014, single bus fares have increased by 20%. From 2013 to 2021, the costs of a single bus pass have increased by 16.6%. Apparently, these continuous increases reflect inflation ratesa consequence of the privatization of public transport (read more about this in the section "Privatized Public Transport"). If Quebec aims to reduce emissions in the transportation sector, increasing the cost of public transit is not the way to achieve it.

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[expand title=" Forest Lifecycle Disruption” expanded="true"]

 One of the resource most consumed by government organizations is paper. Ironically, even with the use of computers, paper consumption has actually increased within governments. This is one resource, among many others, that require additional tree cutting. In Canada, every minute, an area of the boreal forest (the size of seven NHL field hockey rinks) is felled. Instead of protecting the remaining forest areas, the Ministry of Forests plans to double forestry activities by 2080. An increase of nearly 15% in logging activities is expected over the next five years. In addition, Pierre Dufour, the Minister of Forests, stated that cutting more trees would be a solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His argument was that Quebec would increase the amount of wood harvested (which would store carbon in the future) and open more forests to exploitation (younger trees can absorb more carbon) and increase government incentives. In addition, the increase in forestry activities may also lead to the exploitation of forestswhich according to the Forest Stewardship Council are meant to be managed sustainably. In reality, forest areas are usually left littered with wood residues and tree trunks.

With the increase in logging, comes an increase in additional waste of forest products that are not used. Quebec factories produce nearly four million tons of bark a year, but only half of that bark is exported or used as a by-product and Quebec's forest industry has nowhere to put it.

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[expand title="Indigenous Rights Are Not Taken Into Account By The Industry” expanded="true"]

In 2020, Quebec announced a major expansion of protected areas in Eeyou Istchee, the homeland of the Cree, which would increase the area from 12% to 24%. However, this expansion does not provide sufficient protection in the Broadback region, one of the last intact forests in the Cree territory, which serves as a refuge for the Boreal woodland caribou and which is one of the most carbon-dense places in the world. 30,000 km of logging roads mark the landscape around this area, making Broadback likely to be one of them. The addition of protected areas in regions reserved for the forest industry also raises fears in the forest industry, which denounces possible job losses in the industry, while for the First Nations, it is an issue of protecting their ancestral lands.

Corporations, which continue to dominate logging practices in many Canadian forests, without the strong and restrictive protections that government intervention can provide, risk operating in a non-sustainable way and not respecting Firsts Nation's rights. This is also the case for the Attikamek communities, to which the Ministère des Forêts grants financial assistance to help them participate in various forestry consultations. However, recommendations or development plans from First Nations are often ignored and forest areas are often cut down no matter what. Moreover, when indigenous peoples are involved in forest management, they are not recognized for their achievements over the years.

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[expand title="Pollution From Sawmills And Paper Mills” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, pulp and paper mills are at the top of the list of the most polluting industries in the province, emitting millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Between 2012 and 2019, the Domtar paper mill nearly doubled its greenhouse gas emissionsfrom 70,000 to 130,000 tons during this period. The Westrock paper company, in Trois-Rivières, issues 1.25 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, more than the refineries in Quebec and Montreal.

Sawdust particles from sawing become airborne and can be dangerous if deposited in people's lungs. The sawmills also emit toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. In addition, if they are located near water, runoff from sawmills can harm the biodiversity of these areas.

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[expand title="Disturbance Of Caribous Habitat” expanded="true"]

The increase in logging leaves behind degraded forests and disturbed soils that reduce the potential for forest growth. Therefore, It pushes the forest-dwelling caribou towards extinction. In Charlevoix, there are less than twenty caribou in 2020 and the Gaspésie Woodland Caribou, whose population was around 150 individuals ten years ago, is no longer than fifty in the region. In Val-D'Or there remains less than 10 caribou. In 2018, the Quebec government refused to fund efforts to protect woodland caribou. Environmentalists claim that the short-term gain from the logging industry does not come close to parks that are not only home to cariboubut will also attract tourists and hunters year-round.

Moreover, when the government rejected 83 proposals for protected areas in 2020, it is clear that it has prioritized the protection of the forest industry over the protection of fauna and flora (for more, read "Protected Areas Only In the North"). Pipmuakanwhich has been excluded from government protected areas, is home to 140 caribou and represents one of the southernmost populations. In February 2022, two Innu communities in Quebec sued the Government of Quebecjudging that the province had failed to fulfill its caribou protection responsibilities in the Lac-Saint-Jean and Côte-Nord region. Clearly, Woodland Caribous are literally being sacrificed in the name of logging.

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[expand title="Lack Of Accountability And Control” expanded="true"]

The Quebec government allows the logging industry to establish the market value of timber cut on public lands, costing the province millions of dollars in logging royalties because companies fail to report up to 25% the invoice's. Since there is no official government intervention in the forest industry, sampling, the weight of wood handled, the quality of wood being declared lower than the reality are all ways in which companies falsify the figures to make an additional profit. Timber prices have increased three times more than at the start of 2021 and yet timber producers are not seeing the benefits. However the Quebec government does not want to discuss forest management to regulate the price and discuss the distribution of wealth among private owners. In addition to the increase in the price of wood, the wood does not stay in the province to be used by Quebecers, but it is exported to the United Stateswhich causes a shortage of wood in Quebec.

Environmentalists are protesting this lack of management of Quebec's forests due to the destruction of biodiversity in the region. They claim that the Ministry of Forests is too concerned with the economic motives of the forest rather than the environment..

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[expand title="Timber Subsidies Construction” expanded="true"]

In 2018, the Trump administration imposed a 20% tariff on Canadian lumber after allegations that the Canadian wood industry unfairly subsidized. The argument, essentially, is that Quebec logging takes place on public lands with cheap harvesting costswhile American timber is harvested from private land. Quebec wood is therefore less expensive than American wood, so that the rate put in place puts the two suppliers on an equal footing. However, in 2020, the World Trade Organization ruled that the tariffs were unfounded because softwood lumber from Ontario and Quebec is not subsidized by Canada, which has led to a reduction of customs duties by 9% in December.

If Quebec denies subsidizing the industry, the government still seems to subsidize it, only it does it indirectly. For example, between 2019 and 2020, the Quebec government spent $100 million for the construction of forest roads under the guise of multi-purpose roads. By claiming that they can be used by anyone, Quebec claims not to subsidize the industry, thus avoiding customs tariffs in the United States. Meanwhile, an episode released by RADIO-CANADA shows that these roads are truly in the middle of nowhere, with nothing nearby but Gouin's Potato. Although the roads can be used by anyone, it is clear that their primary intention is to serve the forest industry.

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[expand title="The Construction Of Forest Roads” expanded="true"]

In March 2021, Quebec will have 468,000 km of forest roads, enough to circle the planet 10.5 times. This is after the documentary The Boreal Error that Quebec logging companies have begun to reduce the size of their logging sites to make the landscape more visually appealing, but this required the construction of logging roads to access the new sites. However, this has serious consequences for the environment. Not only do dispersed sites require additional travel and therefore increase the diesel consumptionbut they also seriously harm biodiversity. Unlike a clear-cut forest that over time might eventually regrow, paved roads do not allow trees to regrow. Thus, forest roads mark the forests of Quebec. In addition, their construction can also affect animals. In 2020, a 126-kilometer logging road proposed in Cree territory would have cut in half the habitat of three herds of caribou, a species whose numbers are already in decline. Bare roads help predatorsmaking their prey increasingly vulnerable. Even today, the construction of new forest roads continues. In May 2021, a logging road in Charlesbourg is expected to undergo an expansion that would threaten nine wetlands, ten terrestrial environments and seven riversrepresenting a threatened area of 114,000 square meters.

For more information, visit these websites :

• here radio article
• The Boreal Error
• ici radio episode

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[expand title="Impact Of Logging Operations On Tourism” expanded="true"]

Northeast of Lac Saint-Jean, a logging project is proposed to begin this summer. The Péribonka River, where the project would take place, has been proposed as a protection zone to protect 80 km of the river which would include a rare forest ecosystem in Quebec. This proposal was one of 83 protected area projects that were rejected by the Legault government, which authorized logging in this area. Ironically, the government granted subsidies for the development of ecotourism and adventure tourism in Quebecwhile the logging project would take place in the place intended for recreational tourism and would destroy the tourism potential along the Péribonka River and Lake Tchitogama. Moreover, roads and infrastructure will need to be built to access the areas where the trees will be cut. However, logging projects in this region have been put on hold this year by the Quebec governmentwhich is committed to registering this region as a protected area.

The logging project also destroys and reduces the quality of popular hiking trails, such as near the Récré-eau des Quinze trails in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Clearcutting of this area was said to be necessary due to spruce budworm infestation.

Residents of the Écodomaine des Forges were surprised to see trees cut by Hydro-Québec along a bike path. Hydro-Quebec said the trees were too tall and could impact power lines. The project had been postponed due to the pandemic and citizens were not consulted again.

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[expand title=" Protected Areas Only In The North” expanded="true"]

Quebec was required by the Aichi Target 11 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to protect 17% of land and freshwater representative of Quebec's overall biodiversity by 2020. Thus, Quebec has undertaken to protect 20% of the Plan Nord territory (including at least 12% in the boreal forest north of the 49th parallel) and to establish a representative network of protected areas covering at least 10% of the estuary and the gulf of the St. Lawrence. As of January 1, 2021, Quebec had protected 17.03% of its territorybut notably lacked protected areas under the northern limit of forestry allocations.

First of all, this area is not representative of the biodiversity of Quebec if most of the protected area is in the North. Worse still, the chosen protected areas conveniently allow logging activities to continue undisturbed. Quebec is doing the extraordinary by seeming to respect It's international environmental commitments and by simultaneously giving priority to cutting down forests rather than protecting them. By strategically protecting areas that do not interfere with the province's economic objectives, Quebec masks It's unsustainable practices under the guise of environmental protection.

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[expand title=" Biomass Energy Practices” expanded="true"]

In 2011, 0% of the residue biomass had It's potential energy realized. In forestry, the residues refer to the tree debris that remains after logging. This residual material is apparently what is used nowadays to generate biomass energy. If the increase in the use of residues is impressive, Quebec apparently wants to go a step further by cutting down white birch, red maple and aspen for energy purposes, thereby increasing the harvest of unwanted trees.

Cutting down trees for the sole purpose of burning them is by no means sustainable, and burning biomass is not considered a sustainable option. Wood debris are essential for the habitats of hundreds of speciesincluding woodpeckers and fungi. Cutting down trees also releases the carbon dioxide stored in their tissues. What is worrying is that this carbon dioxide is not taken into account in the inventories of greenhouse gas emissions, because it is assumed that it will be absorbed by the forest or by the necessary reforestation. This assumption is misleading for two reasons. First, if trees continue to be logged, forests will not be able to absorb all the carbon that has been released. Second, the Government of Quebec does not check how many trees are replanted. Although biomass energy can be a step in the right direction, better management is needed to ensure its sustainability.

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[expand title="The Destruction Of Lakes” expanded="true"]

In the past, mining projects have contributed to the destruction of lakes, and this practice continues today. As we explained in the "Lack of Regulation in the Mining Industry" section, there is virtually no legal way to prevent mining companies from committing environmental damage. Recently, Champion Iron declared its intention to stock 872 million tones of tailings into Bloom Lake, destroying eight lakes while affecting 38, 41 streams and nearly 75 hectares of wetlands. Tailings are residual materials from mining operations - fine particles which can release toxins, increase erosion and contaminate water and soil. Unsurprisingly, the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change (MELCC) declared that there was no no ban on backfilling lakes or other water reserves. This is an important issue for the Green Party of Quebec, which has already taken a stand to stop this mining project.

Similarly, New World have proposed a 2.6 kilometer open pit mine in the Lac Taureau watershed. The project is based on experimental measures to prevent acid-rich waste from affecting the lake. In 2018, the government also authorized the ArcelorMittal projectwhich was to destroy 11 lakes, 15 ponds and 25 streams. Mining projects are constantly destroying the surrounding lakes, and the Quebec government allows it by not enforcing any environmental regulations. 

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[expand title="Lack Of Enforcement Of Cleanup Measures By Mining Companies” expanded="true"]

According to the Quebec Mining ActMining companies are responsible for designing a mine site restoration and rehabilitation plan prior to the start of operations, within three years of the end of operations. It is therefore surprising that Quebec has so many abandoned mines that the government itself has to pay to clean up. According to the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, there are still more than 400 sites to be inspected and restored that are the "actual and probable responsibility" of the state. Since 2006, 178.5 million public dollars have been invested in the restoration of mining sites, whereas these are supposed to be the responsibility of mining companies. Meanwhile, the value of the "liabilities" of these sites remains at $1.2 billion, the same amount as in 2010-2011. The Mining Act Amendment of 2013 requires mining companies to provide the government with 100% of restoration costs, however, this does not necessarily put the responsibility for mine cleanup in their hands. Even if the costs are covered by mining companies, it may take some time for Quebec to 'catch up' with recently abandoned projects, when there are still 400 sites to clean up first.

Time will tell if the amendments will relieve Quebec of its abandoned mines, although stronger legislation requiring companies to be responsible for the actual cleanup could be a stronger way to enforce proper management.

Here is a list of abandoned mine sites and their current stage in the restoration process.

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[expand title=" Harassment Of Cities By Mining Companies” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, mining companies have waged an uphill battle with cities and communities to ensure their projects are carried out, despite cities' fears of environmental disruption or damage. In the case of Canada Carbon Inc.'s "Miller Project" in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, the mining company received permission to operate in the municipality from the previous council, but in the following election a new the entire slate of council members was elected by the public with a mandate to stop the mining project in their town ; the Miller project was sorely lacking in social acceptability. Concerns about the environment, such as water contamination and noise pollution from explosions, have been expressed. The council therefore adopted a new resolution so that the mine would no longer comply with the regulations. In response, Canada Carbon Inc. sued the town for $96 million in lost profit from the mine, which it claimed finally won. The Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) conducted an investigation to determine the social acceptability of the project, but the recommendations made by the BAPE are not legally binding and therefore would not necessarily encourage the company to change. In addition, the municipality has commissioned studies to determine if water would be contaminated, if there would be potential impacts on agricultural land, and if the health of forests would be threatened, but these studies could not be carried out because the company refused access to his property.

Another similar situation occurred between New World Graphite and the Atikamekw. The government approved the project while the main environmental studies were lacking, as was the consultation of the Atikamekw. The community erected a roadblock to deter the workers who apparently went to the bulldozer.

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[expand title="Expropriation For Mining Purposes” expanded="true"]

According to the Mining Act of Quebec, the area of land intended for mining activities must consist of a single perimeter with a maximum area of 100 hectares (unless special authorization is given by the Minister). For peat production, the area should not exceed 300 hectares. If a proposed project is located within the boundaries of a municipality, zoning laws and property taxes must be respected. An open pit mine must be located a minimum of 600 m from a dwelling or a minimum of 150 m if it is a new mining project. These distances have caused concern in many municipalities. In the Petite Nation region of the Outaouais, residents fear that a graphite mining project near neighboring towns will affect their quality of life as well as recreational and tourist activities due to potential contamination of lakes and rivers. In Chibougamau, Vanadium One Iron Corp plans to operate an iron mine 18 kilometers from the town center of the municipality.

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Infrastructure 

[expand title="Missing Infrastructure To Decontaminate Soil ” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, about two million metric tons of contaminated soil are removed each year. In 2015, studies showed that more than half of the landfills and dumps designated for contaminated soils are in areas on public land and even under municipal parks. While toxic soils are supposed to be dumped at designated sites, there have been instances of contaminated soil being dumped on agricultural land. In Saint-Rémi, a lettuce producer is located next to an open dump consisting of bricks, concrete and other building materials. Contaminated soil found in the landfill seeped into farmland. However, although this site is considered an illegal dump, no charges have been brought, despite notices of non-compliances having been given to the culprits in 2018. A similar case of infiltration of PCBS (used to make coolants and lubricants) by an electrical equipment company in Pointe-Claire drainage systems occurred in 2013. The barrels containing the substance had been removed in 2013but the contaminated soil was not touched until 2021.

The city of Montreal issued grants for municipal and private projects to decontaminate their land before the end of 2022. However, in the course of building the SLR, it was found that more than 600 tons of hazardous materials will be landfilled in Ontario instead of being decontaminated in a more environmentally friendly way; to reduce costs, Quebec issued a similar grant, investing $1 billion to decontaminate soils over a 10-year period. Also, over 400 problem sites were found across the province where there are elementary or secondary schools, CEGEPs or administrative buildings (many of which were built near existing mine areas), but despite the financial incentive, concrete actions are lacking.

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[expand title="Inefficient Waste Management And Recycling Infrastructure” expanded="true"]

In Canada, a large proportion of recyclable materials are sent abroad because the country does not deal with much of its recycling at the national level. In Quebec, in 2017, more than  60% of the materials were sent to China, while only 40% were processed and transformed into new products. The Canadian government has argued that not only does it lack adequate infrastructure to manage its own waste, but that it justifies the economic advantages for developing countries of sending their waste there. However, the waste sent to these countries is not regulated and can be mixed and contaminated, which does not allow it to be recycled. This resulted in the prohibition for Canada to ship its waste to Asian countries. On the one hand, Canada has circumvented this ban by sending its waste to the United States for subsequent exportBut on the other hand, much of the waste remains in treatment facilities awaiting collection. In some Canadian cities, residents were told that recycling companies would accept fewer items to reduce the amount of waste. If this continues, more potentially recyclable waste will end up in garbage and landfills.

Montreal recycling companies are looking to the provincial government for funding to solve the problem caused by the ban. For plastics to be processed properly, products entering the recycling facility must be clean and well sorted. Existing machines can't clean everything, and if other materials get through, the machines can jam. Besides, the increase in different types of plastics that end up in recycling facilities makes satisfactory recycling difficult. And because sorting facilities vary from municipality to municipality, with certain types of plastic being accepted in one and not the other, this reduces the amount of well-sorted, high-quality raw plastic available for processing. Investment is needed to promote improvement and the development of recycling outlets in Quebec by repairing old machines and producing better recyclable products.

In the arctic communities of Nunavik, Quebec, it has been found that, although they do not produce the same amount of waste as the southern regions, they do not have access to the services or infrastructure that would enable them to process their waste. There are no incinerators, no programs to recycle paper and cardboard, no household recycling programs.

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[expand title="Insufficient Resources To Apprehend Environmental Criminals ” expanded="true"]

In Quebec , many environmental actions go unnoticed and environmental criminals go unpunished due to the absence of environmental police in the province.  According to environmental law in Canada, there are environmental regulators in Canada who are appointed to conduct environmental investigations as well as enforcement officers who have powers similar to those of police officers. However, this has not reduced the number of environmental fines over the years, especially in Quebec. In 2017, environmental fines increased by 29% with over $9 million in penalties. Many of these unregulated activities occur in different sectors. In the logging industry, there is no regulation of logging and environmental impact, with the focus only on economic benefits. In the mining sector, Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers discovered that a Quebec mining company had disposed of dredged material outside the authorized sea disposal area on four separate occasions. The company was ultimately fined $400,000 for damages. In Montreal, waste collection problems have been in the headlines for the past few years. An investigation revealed that Richelieu Environmental Services (SER) (a waste management company) charged Montreal for the waste it took from other municipalities, that commercial waste was mixed with residential waste at the city's expense and that on several occasions, recyclable materials were mixed with the waste. Additionally, it was found that due to inadequate monitoring, trucks were not routinely weighed before starting their pickup, and city employees paid no attention to the trucks' GPS trackers.

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[expand title="Greenhouse Production Capacity Is Insufficient” expanded="true"]

In Canada, due to the sudden drop in cannabis production in 2019, there are thousands of square feet of empty cannabis greenhouses that can be used to produce fruits and vegetables all year round. Quebec production of greenhouse fruits and vegetables rose to 9.3% in 2019, a small increase from Ontario (65%) and British Columbia (19.2%). Premier Legault promised to double the value of greenhouse production in Quebec, estimating a budget of $50 over five years. However, he did not give details on how the money would be used. Experts suggest that for greenhouse production to be successful, it will take technology, training, agronomists, all things that are lacking in Quebec. On the technology side, these experts addressed issues relating to heat and light (both of which are necessary to efficiently produce a greenhouse). As of 2021,  it has been estimated that barely 40% of greenhouses in Quebec have artificial lighting, which is a necessity during the winter and heating is provided by natural gas or biomass when it should be provided by hydroelectricity unused that lies in the dams of Quebec.

Green roofs are another issue in Quebec with regard to the production of greenhouse fruits and vegetables. Quebec has the strictest green roof policies in the world. Big cities like Montreal and Quebec don't have laws to require green roofs, there is no funding from local governments, and no policy to install these green roofs on existing buildings. Also, in Quebec, the majority of municipalities do not require green roofs. Most of the problems with green roofs stem from the risk of water infiltration as well as the ability of a building to support the additional weight that a green roof represents. Currently, in Montreal, roofs can withstand about 40 pounds of snow per square foot of surface, while a cubic foot of wet soil can weigh up to 100 pounds. In January 2020, new Gatineau bylaws provide that businesses will have to install green roofs on any building over 2000 square meters. However, construction companies oppose this new environmental requirement, as they believe it will increase the cost of construction.

More information:

https://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/canadas-agriculture-sectors/horticulture/horticulture-sector-reports/statistical-overview-of-the-canadian-greenhouse-vegetable-industry-2019 /?id=1609252451699#a1.1

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[expand title="Inadequate flood management infrastructure” expanded="true"]

Spring flooding in Quebec is becoming more frequent and severe, but the municipalities at risk do not seem well equipped to deal with it. Until 2019, the map of flood zones along the Rivière des Prairies had not been updated since the 1980s. Even in 2017 there were plans to update the map using the 2006 data. Outdated maps make flood prevention planning incredibly difficult, as it is difficult to predict which areas need to be protected and to what extent. The new flood map includes flood zones from the spring floods of 2017 and 2019 - a useful tool that was available far too late.

The obvious solution would be to discourage development in the floodplains of rivers, granting them what is known as 'space of freedom'. This would allow streams to flow according to their natural capacity and water to be absorbed, thus preventing flooding downstream (for more on concretization and flooding, see the section "Increased Flooding Due To Urban Sprawl). These measures will be necessary in the long term, as climate change will continue to aggravate the situation.

In the meantime, municipalities must better prepare for spring floods. In 2019, residents of L'Île-Bizard, Pierrefonds and Ahuntsic were warned to prepare for evacuationas it was unclear which dikes would overflow. A few days later, a natural dike at Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac failed, and in response the city built two gravel dikes. To the the end of April9,070 homes and 273 businesses were flooded, displacing 12,000 people, and 82 landslides occurred to cope with the excess flooding.'s "Floods: How to Protect Your Home"page gives residents tons of steps to take to protect their homes from flooding, including building sandbag walls. However, it shouldn't be up to citizens to protect themselves against floods. If the Quebec government hasn't updated its flood maps in decades and developers are building homes in unknown risk areas, the government should be tasked with protecting the homes. In 2018, Quebec announced that each municipality had two years to establish contingency plans in case of flooding. Hopefully, Quebec citizens will be better protected with increased flood management infrastructure, such as larger dikes, more efficient drainage, and no new development in flood-prone areas.

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[expand title="Inadequate Flood Management Infrastructure ” expanded="true"]

According to a report by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM), among the CMM and neighboring municipalities, 94% of workers mainly use a car to get to work. According to Ms. Plante, this is due to the fact that bordering municipalities are not required to respect the same density rules as CMMresulting in low-density, car-dependent neighborhoods. What is needed is better urban planning and better public transport infrastructure to discourage the use of private vehicles. Meanwhile, the Government of Quebec continues to favor the expansion of roads to the detriment of public transit, while the budget allocated to public transit represents close to half that of asphalt (Rad discusses this at greater length in "The Endless Expansion of Roads"). A study conducted by the David Suzuki Foundation revealed that young Montrealers are reluctant to use public transit because it is unreliable and services are not flexible.

To combat these shortcomings, Quebec must invest in public transportation. More frequent timetables and more extensive networks could help metro, bus and train systems. It might even discourage the use of individual vehicles enough to reduce traffic, which would contribute to the reliability of the bus service. Furthermore, the government cannot continue to privatize public transportwhich could discourage its use by raising fares for users and offering routes guided by profit rather than public interest. For example, the REM project may interfere with the planned expansion of the blue metro lineas the two lines will now share similar routes, a feature the private REM has conveniently overlooked.

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Land And Soil Use

[expand title="Sacrifice Of wetlands” expanded="true"]

Time and time again, Quebec's wetlands are sacrificed for new developments. Wetlands are important to us because they harbor biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gases, prevent droughts by retaining water during dry spells, and prevent floods by reducing the amount of water sent downstream. Across the country, wetlands are often drained for conversion to agricultural land - a problem closely linked to urban sprawl - or drained for infrastructure construction or for extraction sites.

In Hudson, a forested wetland called Sandy Beach Woods is at risk of being converted to housing. The project would involve the filling of 4,266 square meters of wetland. The Technoparc de Montréal is also under threat of development. Until 2017 it was the largest wetland on the island, but now it is sacrificed for the development of REMwhich affects over 100 species. In addition, the Bloom Lake Iron Mine has proposed a disposal plan in which 872 million tons of tailings would be storeddestroying several wetlands, but by assigning 160. The same plan would encroach on 151 hectares of lakes and rivers. Also, the LET expansion project in Bury would destroy 4.9 hectares of wetlands.

Sacrificing wetlands for development is really in no one's interest. Increased environmental awareness in urban planning is needed to end low-density neighborhoods encroaching on important natural habitats. Other projects, such as the REM, the iron mine and the LET, must also give greater priority to the environment.

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[expand title="Land Use For Livestock Production ” expanded="true"]

Today, 80% of the world's agricultural land is used for livestock production. A third of arable land is used to produce animal feed, while 26% of the Earth's ice-free surfaces are used for grazing. Ironically, despite the enormous amount of land used for livestock, it represents only 18% of global calories and only 37% of total protein. In Quebec, more than half of agricultural production is related to livestock, beef and dairy production being the most important, followed by pig and poultry production. In Quebec, there are approximately 8,908 farms devoted to beef production. Cattle (and lamb) production takes up most of the land, about 2.89 billion hectares for pasture, then 43% of cultivated land for the production of animal feed. The problems with the extensive use of land for animal agriculture are that it reduces the diversity of landscapes and natural habitsespecially since most crops are monocultures (such as corn). These crops can cause soil erosion and negatively impact the soil ecosystem. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said dietary changes, which include plant-based diets and sustainable animal-based foods, could free up several million square kilometers of land by 2050 and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.7 to 8.0 gigatons per year. However, in the Quebec Sustainable Agriculture Plan, published in October 2020, there is no question of reducing the use of land for animal agriculture.

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[expand title="Loss Of Urban Green Spaces” expanded="true"]

In Quebec, there are many examples of existing green spaces being destroyed to make way for residential or commercial developments. Developers plant a few trees or create a small park to compensate for the damage and make their project appear "greener". The Mercier-Hochelaga borough's greening plan has raised concerns. Although plans call for the planting of trees and the creation of green spaces and gardens, many trees have been cut down and gardens moved to make way for infrastructure projects. The plan also includes demineralizing sidewalks while mineralizing skate parks. An industrial project is proposed to be built on the site of the Golf Métropolitain d'Anjou which would include 1 million square feet of buildings as well as a parking lot that could accommodate 1,200 vehicles and trucks. This project would lead to the elimination of a green space in this sector as well as the obstruction of a green corridor between the Montigny stream park in the far north of the island and the Bellerive promenade park. The mayor of Anjou wants to go ahead with this project because he believes it is a good economic investment for the borough. In the city of Val-d'Or, part of the land intended for the future Parc des Pionniers must be sold to allow the construction of apartment buildings, because the mayor considers that this is a good investment and that there is very little other land to build otherwise. A similar problem arises in Laval where a home for seniors was built in a waterfront, despite the protests of the citizens, who preferred that all of the park's land be retained. And the area where the retirement home is to be built is in a flood zone.

In Montreal, the Green Coalition lost its court battle against the Technoparc area. The City's objective is to make it a privileged place for companies specializing in sustainable development and clean technologies. However, it is an ecosystem that is home to a wide variety of bird species that are endangered and could suffer a significant loss of their population with construction and the felling of trees. The city of Montreal, however, said it will protect 16 hectares of land in the Technoparc area. 

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[expand title=" Logging ” expanded="true"]

There have been many cases in Quebec where rare or mature trees or forested areas have been cut down to make way for real estate developments, and very often there have been no public consultations with citizens. In Sainte-Foy, Quebec City, mature trees are cut down to build a home for the elderly. The particularity of this area is that it is occupied by an old church which had been sold to the Government of Quebec to be transformed into a retirement home and surrounded by trees. Although the CIUSS says it will replant hundreds of trees to compensate for the losscitizens are arguing that there is no need to cut down existing trees. Moreover, citizens received very little information about the entire church redevelopment project.

In Île-Perrot, citizens were dismayed to see crews cut down a forest of white oaks to make way for a housing development. Not only is the white oak a rare tree species in Quebec, but it has significant ecological and historical value for the city. It is also home to a federally protected species of frog (the Western Chorus Frog) as well as birds and foxes. According to the citizens, there was no public consultation around the project.

In Pointe-Claire, there have been several instances of tree felling and pruning to make room for paved roads and for the new Pioneer condo project. According to the city, these operations were necessary for the rerouting of poles and electrical wires. They say they will compensate for the loss of trees by providing four new fast-growing trees in the village.

Along the Turcot interchange and Montreal West, a 2.8-kilometre park will be developed and will include bicycle and pedestrian paths. However, between 400 and 600 trees will be felled as part of the redevelopment plan. The city argues that tree removal is necessary because workers need to access the cliff to provide adequate drainage and protect the stability of the land surrounding this area. Conservationists are angry at the plan because this forested area is home to more than 65 species of birds, which are now endangered once logging begins.

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