We are fortunate to live in a territory that has an impressive variety and quantity of natural resources. Thanks to them, Quebec can play an even more decisive role on a global scale in reducing GHG emissions and fighting climate change.
Whether we think about our clean energy, critical and strategic minerals, the forest: Quebec can become a beacon for the development of new sectors of the green economy for the decarbonization of industrial activities or even for the deployment of renewable energies, but also to achieve its GHG reduction targets.
But we are not alone: the race on the international scene is fierce and we must position ourselves quickly to avoid a deteriorating business environment and a loss of competitiveness. Both the companies already present here and those who want to establish themselves are all facing this increasingly strong competition.
We believe that our regulatory framework must adjust to the new reality in order to find ways to move faster, by being flexible and agile, while being rigorous.
This pre-transition regulatory framework deserves to be upgraded in order to allow Quebec, and its businesses, to be at the forefront of the transition taking place on a global scale. In a context of sustainable development, it is important to preserve the balance between the economy, the environment and health, while preserving social acceptability.
We believe that it is important to improve the impact assessment and examination procedure, like the authorization regime elsewhere, in order to promote the success of these projects which contribute to the decarbonization of our planet. A more agile and flexible framework would allow us to distinguish ourselves on the international scene both in terms of the environment and in terms of economic efficiency.
This framework, because it would ensure our green growth, would contribute to maintaining the level of wealth of our citizens, but also to having additional financial resources to improve our social safety net to respond to the pressing challenges of the day, which whether in health, education or housing, in particular.
It is more urgent than ever to act as supply chains are being put in place and investments are crystallizing for the economic development of the coming decades.
*Co-signatories: Karl Blackburn, President and CEO, Conseil du patronat du Québec; Charles Milliard, President and CEO, Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec; Véronique Proulx, President and CEO, Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters; Yves Hamelin, general director for Quebec, Canadian Chemical and Plastics Association; Josée Méthot, President and CEO, Quebec Mining Association; Carol Montreuil, Vice-President of Eastern Canada, Canadian Fuels Association; Jean Simard, President and CEO, Aluminum Association of Canada
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reference: www.lapresse.ca