The Canada’s impact assessment agency has refused to look at a mine project that could be created in Baie-des-Chaleurs. A disappointment for the Quebec citizen grouping which made the request and which wanted the cross-border impacts of this project located in New Brunswick to be considered.
This future pozzolane mine could soon see the light of day at the gates of Dalhousie, a small locality located in the south of Baie-des-Chaleurs, in New Brunswick, near the border with Quebec.
The Quebec citizen group “No thank you, Pozzolan Dalhousie” had applied last February to the Canada Impact Evaluation Agency (AEIC) to carry out an impact study, in order to take into account the possible negative effects of the project on Quebec.
Also read the file “an open -air mine in a corner of paradise”
Although having decided not to submit the project to a federal environmental assessment, Terence Hubbard, president of the AEIC, admits in its response, dated June 2, that this future open -air mine could “cause these potential negative effects”.
He nevertheless underlines that the population and the indigenous communities were consulted by the project promoter, Ecorock Dalhousie, which provides “a framework to respond to public concerns”.
He also indicates that other mechanisms that an evaluation of federal impact can be put in place to estimate the potential effects of such a project before it goes forward, as an evaluation at the provincial level. The project must also be carried out while respecting provincial and federal laws relating to the environment, as well as municipal regulations relating to regional planning and the extraction of resources, he recalls.
Infographic the press
It is a hard blow for the citizen group “No thank you, Pozzolan Dalhousie”. Jean-Marc Beaulieu, figurehead of the movement, hoped that the federal government is entering the file so that the possible consequences on Quebec are considered-such as air pollution, constant noises due to boosting, landscape degradation and the environment-which is not guaranteed if a study is only carried out at the provincial level, in New Brunswick.
“In my opinion, all the boxes were caught, since it is a project with cross-border impacts,” he said in an interview with The press.
We had a lot of hope, so everyone is disappointed, of course. But for my part, I am not really surprised. It is consistent with the new directives of the Carney government.
Jean-Marc Beaulieu, figurehead of the movement against the mining project
The federal government has reiterated that it wants to accelerate the implementation of major projects of national interest-including mines-to stimulate the Canadian economy, by adopting Bill C-5 under the gag, on June 20.
For his part, the director general of Ecorock Dalhousie, Francis Forlini, confirmed that he had taken note of the decision of the AEIC.
Photo Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, the press archives
Francis Forlini, Managing Director of Ecorock Dalhousie
“Ecorock will be subject to an environmental impact assessment at the provincial level,” he said by email to The press. “We are working on this aspect in 2025 and counted to file our study in spring 2026.”
Jean-Marc Beaulieu said they consider the possibility of bringing the case before the courts. “This is roughly the only recourse we have,” he sighs. “But we continue!” We try to brew ideas. »»
History so far
2022
Cimbec Canada Inc. and Carboniq Inc. combine to explore the feasibility of exploiting a pilzzolane deposit, a material popular with the construction field and which could make it more decarbonized concrete.
The idea would be to transform a career located at the gates of Dalhousie, a small locality in the south of Baie-des-Chaleurs, into an open-air mine, carrying its production from 55,000 tonnes to 3 million tonnes per year.
In November, the federal government granted more than $ 1.2 million to the project to study its feasibility.
2024
The Ecorock Dalhousie company is created to control the project.
He is increasingly concerned about citizens, both on the side of Quebec and New Brunswick. At the end of October, a demonstration is organized by a group of citizens, “no thank you, Pozzolan Dalhousie”.
To appease tensions, Ecorock Dalhousie organizes population consultations and sets up a committee so that all stakeholders can be held informed, at each stage.
In December, the city of Baie-des-Hérons, of which Dalhousie is newly part, changed its urban plan, paving the way to the exploitation of natural resources on its territory.
2025
- On February 11, Jean-Marc Beaulieu laid, on behalf of “No thank you, Pozzolan Dalhousie”, an environmental assessment request from the impact assessment agency in Canada. He hopes that the Federal is entering the file and conducting his own impact study, to take into account the potential consequences of the project on Quebec.
- On March 4, Ecorock Dalhousie received nearly $ 2 million from the federal government to carry out an exploratory borehole and analyzes of the Pouzzolane deposit.
- On June 2, the impact assessment request was rejected by the Canada Impact Evaluation Agency.
