Even if the controversial Horne Foundry has just withdrawn from a public health committee, the CAQ government still says it is ready to help the mining company reduce its arsenic emissions.
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During a trip to Abitibi this week, the Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, showed himself in favor of public assistance.
“Me, I opened the door squarely, if you have a project that will allow you to respect environmental standards, that’s non-negotiable, we should be there to help you, because I think it’s a project important for the Rouyn-Noranda region,” he said during a press scrum.
Committee
The latter had already met Glencore, owner of the Horne Foundry, a few weeks ago in Europe and had stressed that the company had presented “a plan to correct the situation”.
This comes at a time when the mining company has just withdrawn from a public health committee, confirmed the organization Stop toxic discharges and emissions (ARET), a group which has campaigned since 2019 for the reduction of emissions.
“Collaboration problem”
“Our committee has changed, is now broader and concerns Rouyn-Noranda in its entirety. But Glencore has informed us that they will not sit there. They are not concerned, because they say it is too broad,” explained Nicole Desgagnés, of the ARET committee.
The municipality, the CISSS, representatives of Abitibi-Témiscamingue public health, citizens and also the Ministry of the Environment sit on this expanded committee. “It’s not a good sign, it’s a problem of collaboration,” says Mme Desgagnes.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com