“There are the mines that have all the powers, after there are God, and then us at the bottom,” says Gilbert Brosseau, a resident of Duhamel, in Outaouais, who lives in a house by the gold. On the other bank, the company Lomiko holds dozens of mining claims and caresses the hope of exploiting the graphite there.
“This is a quote from Henri Jacob [le militant écologiste]. He always says that before God, there is the Mines law “Replied Louis St-Hilaire, former executive of the National Bank which founded the regrouping of the protection of the lakes of the small nation.
Photo Robert Skinner, the press
Louis St-Hilaire is the founder of the lake protection regrouping of the small nation.
A sentence that sums up the state of mind of many residents of the small nation, a sector of the Outaouais located between Mont-Tremblant and Gatineau well known for its recreation tourism attractions.
All citizens encountered by The press For this report also share the same conclusion: the impression of being left to themselves in a battle almost lost in advance.
On the other side of Lake Doré, the company Lomiko Metals holds 76 mining claims which would allow it to take advantage of an important deposit of graphite, in addition to having the support of the American Department of Defense.
The project called La otre, if it is materialized, would result in the opening of an open -air mine on an site considered to be the seventh deposit of graphite in importance in the world, according to the specialized magazine mining.com.
Lomiko does not yet have the green light from the Quebec government to exploit a mine, but the company has already started exploration work for a few years on the 4,528 hectare site, a little more than five times the area of the Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park, in Montérégie.
Lomiko recently obtained an authorization for “impact” exploration works of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF).
“No social acceptability, no project”
If it reacts so much, it is that this project is located in southern Quebec, where there has been an explosion of mining claims in recent years, raising concerns, especially in the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Outaouais.
To respond to the growing concerns of their citizens, the municipalities of Duhamel, Lac-des-Plages, Lac-Simon, Chénéville and Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk made the decision to each organize a referendum on this issue.
The question asked will be essentially the same for each municipality, except for the location of the project in relation to the locality concerned: “Are you favorable to the establishment of an open-air mining project, being located …”
But unlike a referendum for example on a change to an urban planning regulations, the results of these five consultations will not be binding.
Despite this, opponents of the mining project are counting on the referendum results to convince Quebec that there is no social acceptability for a graphite mine in their region. A very large majority of the population would be against the project.
Infographic the press
“That’s the government’s promise: no social acceptability, no project. I hope the boots will follow the lips, ”says Geneviève Gagnon, owner of the Gagnon hardware stores, one of the most important employers in the region.
Photo Robert Skinner, the press
Geneviève Gagnon, owner of the Gagnon hardware stores, important employer in the small nation
Even if the Quebec government has refused to finance the project, since it does not meet its criteria, particularly in matters of social acceptability, it could nevertheless deliver a permit to Lomiko, recall its opponents.
Important impacts on the territory
According to Rodrigue Turgeon, co-responsible for the national campaign of Mining Watch Canada and spokesperson for the Quebec Best Mine Coalition, this is the very first time that we have seen municipalities organizing a referendum on a mining project. “This is good news for democracy,” he believes.
Photo Robert Skinner, the press
Chalets on the edge of Lake Doré, in Outaouais
“A referendum is not ideal, it is a bit conflicting,” said Julie Reid-Forget, former vice-president of the Office of Public Audiences on the Environment (BAPE), now a consultant for the municipal world on mining and forest issues. She notably advised the five municipalities of the small nation in the past year.
Mme Reid-Forget recalls that the municipal world has asked in vain from the government of Quebec to have a right to look at mining projects on their territory.
“But if these municipalities want to measure social acceptability, perhaps a referendum, it’s a good idea after all,” she says.
“These municipalities in southern Quebec are still right to worry,” says Danielle Pilette, professor at UQAM and specialist in urban planning and governance issues. It recalls that a mining project can have important impacts on their territory and their economy.
“I compare this to an industry that would like to settle in our region and we should change the use of the territory, the zoning, to allow it. I find that it is the responsibility of the municipality to prepare a public consultation and ask the promoter to explain his project. It doesn’t make sense that we don’t have our say, “says David Pharand, mayor of Duhamel.
Small municipalities
The five municipalities have a total of less than 4,000 inhabitants who live permanently in the region, but the population climbs to around 6000 people during the summer season, underlines the mayor of Duhamel, David Pharand.
Duhamel
Population permanente : 569 habitants
Lac-des-Plages
Population permanente : 548 habitants
Lac-Simon
Population permanente : 1057 habitants
Chénéville
Population permanente : 848 habitants
Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk
Population permanente : 512 habitants
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 census
Metalls Lomals a brief
Canadian mining company that specializes mainly in graphite deposits. The La Loutre project, in Outaouais, would make it possible to extract for at least 15 years almost 65 million tonnes of rocks with a graphite content of 4.6 %.
Graphite is considered a strategic ore since it is essential for the manufacture of batteries. China is currently in the first row with more than 77 % of all global graphite production.
In the spring of 2024, the American Department of Defense announced aid of US $ 8.35 million in Lomiko. Ottawa also confirmed a subsidy of $ 4.9 million Canadian. The Quebec government has decided not to finance the project due to the lack of social acceptability.
