The Fondation Rivières welcomes the decision that the Marois government has finally taken tocancel six of seven hydroelectric power station projects in Quebec. This decision will save 24 M$s each year for 20 years for a total of 480 M$s.
Concerning Val-Jalbert on the Ouiatchouan River in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, the Fondation Rivières also requests the cancellation of the project which is clearly unjustified from the point of view of costs, but also of the environmental, social and tourist consequences. This single small power station on the historic site will cause Hydro-Québec Distribution to lose 80 M$; the majority of the indigenous and non-indigenous population is against; it is possible to invest part of the amounts saved in the development of a network of tourist attractions made up of rivers.
There is still time to turn back
Remember that in 2002 in Trois-Pistoles, the project was canceled although work had started. “These are our water cathedrals,” declared Paul Piché since that time.
Read it Fondation Rivières press release
Nature Québec, AQLPA, Greenpeace, Eau Secours, Québec Solidaire and the CAQ have also issued press releases to this effect.
Photo: Val-Jalbert, by Pierre Leclerc
