Asbestos mine tailings (AMT): A heavy legacy for Quebec!

Jeudi 30 septembre 2021, MCDC/SDE

Three working committees have been requested by the stakeholders

THETFORD MINES, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021. In a letter sent on September 16 to Quebec Premier François Legault, Minister of Economy and Innovation Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonatan Julien and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Andrée Laforest, the prefect of the Appalaches Regional County Municipality, Paul Vachon and the President of the Société de développement économique de la région de Thetford (SDE), Marc-Alexandre Brousseau, denounce the government's inaction concerning the follow-up to the report on "The state of the environment and the management of asbestos and asbestos mine tailings (ASMT)" and quickly call for the establishment of three working committees.

"Almost two years ago, the government announced the holding of a BAPE inquiry commission on "The state of the environment and the management of asbestos and asbestos mine tailings". More than a year ago, the commissioners tabled their report.

On many occasions over the past few months, we have indicated our willingness to work with the various authorities to ensure that the report is followed up. On several occasions, we have asked to be involved in the development of solutions. Last June, all the region's elected municipal officials co-signed a resolution that once again outlined the seriousness of the situation. Despite this, our requests have gone unheeded," commented the prefect, Paul Vachon.

"Our region continues, day after day, to suffer the negative economic, social, administrative and political impacts of the management of this "mining industrial liability" related to the presence of asbestos and asbestos mine tailings on our territory. However, as reported by journalist Annie Labrecque in the September 24 edition of Québec Science magazine, the potential of AMT is enormous. Today, we are rightly calling for the rapid creation of three working committees in which the region must be involved.

The urgency of addressing the issue is clear. We hope that these three projects will take shape quickly, because the situation has been unbearable for months and years. Considering the major impacts experienced daily and the harmful effects felt from the government's inaction for years, we are requesting a very short-term meeting on the subject with Prime Minister Legault," added Marc Alexandre Brousseau.

The conclusions of the commissioners, in the context of the BAPE work, are a little clearer:

"... a review of the framework and management of asbestos must be undertaken. Therefore, several issues and deficiencies raised in this report, warrant regulatory and operational changes."

As such, we would like the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to lead a working committee, including us, on this issue.

"The inquiry commission is in favour of the reclamation of asbestos mine tailings and asbestos waste... It is of the opinion that reclamation has many economic, social, and environmental benefits. The development of a reclamation framework should aim at sound management of asbestos and its tailings. Such management requires the subscription to guiding principles that serve as a moral reference and that establish a vision essential to the implementation of the reclamation framework.

As such, we would like the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation to lead a working committee, including us, on this issue.

And finally, "...to promote their operationalization, it would be appropriate to create a Quebec administrative entity responsible for the safe management and disposal of asbestos. Such an entity should harmonize all actions by promoting an integrated approach, by emphasizing restoration and recovery, by promoting collaboration and communication (mainly with the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Commission on Occupational Standards, Equity, Health and Safety), ensuring that decisions are based on the best science, and avoiding issues of consistency, fairness and transparency with the public, project initiators, contractors and institutions. "

As such, we would like the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to lead a working committee, including us, on this issue.

Informations : Paul Vachon, Mayor of Kinnear's Mills and prefect of the Appalaches Regional County Municipality, (418) 332-2757

Source : Martin Fecteau, Communication and marketing Advisor
(418) 338-2188, poste 231 | communication@regionthetford.com

English version is made possible by Megantic English-Speaking Community Development Corporation (MCDC)