UPDATE – Technoparc conference cancelled due to COVID-19

Extraordinary conference to support Green Coalition’s demand for a public inquiry will not take place on March 14

Montreal, March 13, 2020

The Green Coalition and Technoparc Oiseaux regret to inform the public that this event has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This important conference, scheduled for March 14, about the harmful policies of the Quebec Ministry of the Environment regarding certificates of authorization, has been postponed.

The Green Coalition and Groupe Technoparc Oiseaux are already planning how to reconvene this event and will let you know the details shortly.

The Green Coalition wishes to thank all the people who planned to attend on Saturday – Stay tuned!

The coalition also wants to thank those participants who had committed to making presentations. Their wisdom and help have been gratefully appreciated.

The Coronavirus has compelled municipal, provincial and federal officials to deal with the health crisis. The environmental crisis is of even greater magnitude and consequence for everyone, and the Green Coalition is more determined than ever to make them face up to it. The Green Coalition insists that the Technoparc wetlands, whose destruction has been facilitated by the Ministry of the Environment, be saved. It insists on a public inquiry into the Ministry’s handling of the certificates of authorization, and that the Ministry abandon its plans to deregulate and facilitate environmental destruction.

The Green Coalition will not rest, friends, and will reach out to you very soon.

Thank you again!

For more information, please contact Campbell Stuart at 514 927-7802.

Teaming up to protect the Technoparc wetlands

Environmental groups invite you to join them in supporting their demand for a public inquiry

Montreal, March 9, 2020

You are invited to join the Green Coalition and Groupe Technoparc Oiseaux on Saturday, March 14 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Maison du développement durable, 50 St. Catherine Street W. in Montreal, for a conference that will bring together environmental groups from across the Montreal region to discuss how the Quebec government has failed in its mandate to protect the environment.

The Coalition’s lawyers at Colby Monet will present an overview of the Technoparc case, including the shocking admissions made by the Ministry of the Environment during the recent hearing (see below). A review of the government procedures for issuing Certificates of Authorization requested by developers, together with a roadmap for groups seeking to obtain information and avoid environmental destruction, will be presented. Participants at the conference will be invited to describe their specific experience with destructive Certificates of Authorization.

We demand an immediate public inquiry into the Ministry’s procedures for issuing Certificates of Authorization.

Green Coalition and Groupe Technoparc Oiseaux

Green Coalition and Groupe Technoparc Oiseaux
extraordinary conference
Saturday, March 14 from 10 am to 4 pm
at la Maison du développement durable
50 St. Catherine Street W. in Montreal

Agenda

10:00 to 10:10 am – Technoparc: A history of the marshes and their birds

10:15 to 10:25 am – Presentation on the Technoparc injunction

10:30 to 11:00 am – An analysis of Certificates of Authorisation

11:00 to 11:20 am – Questions and discussion

11:25 to 12:30 pm – Specific case history

12:30 to 1:15 pm – Lunch (included)

1:15 to 1:25 pm – The international context… biodiversity

1.30 to 2:00 pm – Analysis of the new regulations proposed by Quebec

2:00 to 3:00 pm – Action plans… press release

3:15 to 3:45 pm – Press conference

For more information, please contact Campbell Stuart at 514 927-7802.

Six admissions by the Minister of the Environment in the Technoparc injunction

1. All applications for certificates of authorization (CAs) have been granted by the Minister of the Environment.
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2. The objective of the Minister is to help promoters to obtain their CAs.
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3. If the Minister does not receive all applicable studies from promoters, the Minister accepts undertakings to do so. However, no follow up is done by the Minister on the undertaking. It’s another office that’s in charge of follow up.
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4. Transfers of CA from one promoter to another or a city is a formality. No meaningful verification is done on the new promoter.
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5. Up until 2017-18, all information, studies and analysis were kept confidential. Worse, when going through the “Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec”, the Minister would issue documents (CA) hiding key information, dimensions of the land to be transformed, etc.
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6. Even though the Minister knows (or should know) that drying up a wetland will affect the bird population, it never requires a study of the impact of drying up on the bird population.

Feature image: Canada goose family with golden nuggets, by Ilana Block

Read other articles about the Technoparc Wetlands

The Green Coalition is a non-profit association of groups and individuals with a mandate to promote the conservation, protection and restoration of the environment and the wise use of green and blue spaces.

The Technoparc Oiseaux movement consists of a group of dedicated citizens demanding the protection and restoration of the Technoparc Mtl wetlands and adjacent areas in the St-Laurent borough of Montreal.