Hello Friend,
Let me tell you a story.
Our federal government is about to give $1.37 billion of our money to a
Swedish company, Northvolt. This money is to build an electric car battery
factory - in the name of saving the environment.
This factory will be constructed on a site along the banks of the Richelieu
River. The site was polluted by the CIL company for over a century.
Shockingly, this decision is being made without any environmental
assessment.
During construction, contaminated groundwater could leech into the
Richelieu River. The endangered Quebecois copper redhorse fish may bear the
brunt of these toxic discharges. Eventually, the contamination will flow
into the Saint Lawrence River. This puts the endangered beluga whales that
live there at risk.
This decision to invest in Northvolt and accept the contaminated site came
after intense lobbying efforts by federal Minister of Innovation, Science,
and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne. It seems Mr. Champagne lucked
out, because the wildlife affected don't have the right to vote!
By donating to the Green Party, you can help us push for accountability,
and a thorough environmental assessment of the Northvolt project. This is
about safeguarding our rivers and wildlife. Every dollar you give
strengthens our fight for a cleaner, safer future.
DONATE NOW [1]
The contaminated site that Northvolt will inherit contains a frightening
mix of pollutants: aromatic mono and polycyclic hydrocarbons, petroleum
hydrocarbons, Trinitro-2,4,6 toluene (also known as TNT - yes, that means
DYNAMITE), cadmium, chrome, phenolic compounds, lead, zinc. Some of these
substances are carcinogenic to both humans and fish. This list of
pollutants on the Northvolt site came from the polluter, CIL. It's likely
that the site contains other dangerous pollutants that have yet to be
identified.
The Northvolt factory will occupy 172 hectares, but the contaminated area
spans 375 ha. That's the equivalent of over 570 Canadian football fields!
This contaminated land is made up of sand and gravel deposits on the
surface, which are highly permeable. The groundwater is contaminated. Heavy
machinery used during the factory construction will move the sand and
gravel, and cause vibrations. This could spread the contamination towards
the Richelieu River, as well as into nearby agricultural and urban areas.
The polluted Northvolt site includes over 1.8 km of the Richelieu River's
shoreline. There are 49 watercourses and flow areas that cross the site. At
least eleven potential points for contaminated water to enter the river
have been identified.
All of this tells us one thing: the Northvolt factory project must undergo
a public environmental assessment. Quebec refuses to conduct this
assessment. When the federal government invests taxpayer money in
infrastructure projects it must, by law, evaluate the environmental
impacts. This is especially true in this case. The fish in the Richelieu
River and the belugas in the Saint Lawrence River are protected by federal
laws on fisheries and endangered species.
Let's hope that Steven Guilbeault, the federal Minister of the Environment,
talks to his colleague François-Philippe Champagne, and together they
order public environmental assessment hearings for the Northvolt project.
Otherwise, the fish and belugas might have to demand their right to vote in
the next election.
DANIEL GREEN
Critic on Environment
Shadow Cabinet - Green Party of Canada
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