Decision Statement
Issued under Section 54 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

PDF Version 663 KB

Document reference number: 948

to
Québec Port Authority
c/o Mario Girard, Chief Executive Officer

150 Dalhousie Street, P.O. Box 80, Station Haute-Ville
Québec (Québec)
G1R 4M8

for the
Laurentia Project: Port of Quebec Deep-Water Wharf – Beauport Sector

Description of the Designated Project

The Québec Port Authority is proposing to extend the line of the existing wharf eastward by 610 metres in order to operate a deep-water terminal dedicated to containerized general cargo. The 31.7-hectare project would include the construction of a new berth and a retaining dike that would allow for the development of an additional 17 hectares of backshore space. The project also includes the construction of rail lines and road accesses, the reconfiguration of two outfalls and Henri-Bourassa Boulevard with the addition of an overpass, as well as the reconfiguration of part of the Port of Quebec's existing land for truck loading and the relocation of part of the recreation and tourism area for the development of the operations support area and the storage of empty containers.

Conduct of the environmental assessment

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) conducted an environmental assessment of the Designated Project in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. The Agency commenced the environmental assessment on August 10, 2015 and submitted its report to me in my capacity as Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Decisions on environmental effects referred to in subsections 5(1) and 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

In accordance with paragraphs 52(1)(a) and 52(1)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, after considering the report of the Agency on the Designated Project and the implementation of mitigation measures that I consider appropriate, I have determined that the Designated Project:

  • is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012; and
  • is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

In accordance with subsection 52(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, I referred to the Governor in Council the matter of whether those significant adverse environmental effects were justified in the circumstances.

In accordance with paragraph 52(4)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, the Governor in Council decided that the significant adverse environmental effects that the Designated Project is likely to cause are not justified in the circumstances.

Issuance

This Decision Statement is issued in Ottawa, Ontario by:

<Original signed by>
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of the Environment

June 29, 2021
Date

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