An impact analysis produced by Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada, revealed by Radio-Canada on Monday, exposes the extent of economic consequences from the proposed federal decree aimed at protecting three woodland caribou herds in Quebec.
According to this analysis dated August 2024, the decree could result in financial losses ranging from $670 to $895 million over 10 years for the province. This alarming figure underscores the significance of the economic stakes tied to this environmental protection measure.
The decree would directly affect 53 companies and 1,400 forestry workers, particularly impacting 28 forest-dependent communities. Specifically:
- 35 sawmills
- 10 wood product manufacturing plants
- 3 pulp and paper mills
- 2 cogeneration and energy product facilities
- 3 harvesting cooperatives
The federal decree would target three areas where the boreal caribou faces critical threats. These include the Val-d'Or region, where only 9 individuals survive in enclosures, Charlevoix, which has 30 caribou also kept in captivity, and the Pipmuacan sector, where the wild population is estimated at less than 300 individuals. These three zones represent the most vulnerable hotspots for the species in Quebec.
Quebec's Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, calls on federal minister Steven Guilbeault to "back down". Opposition in Ottawa, notably the Bloc Québécois and the Conservative Party of Canada, is urging to let Quebec act, fearing an economic catastrophe for the regions concerned.
