QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Environmental Impact Assessment--Northern Pulp Plant
December 11, 2019
Honourable senators, my question is to the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Harder, the Premier of Prince Edward Island and the P.E.I. Minister of Fisheries and Communities have called on the federal government to commit to conducting a federal environmental impact assessment regarding effluent treatment for the Northern Pulp plant in Abercrombie Point, Nova Scotia. The proposed treatment facility would release effluent into the Northumberland Strait after only eight hours of treatment. Should an error occur, the window in which to catch it will be very narrow.
This understandably concerns all communities on the Northumberland Strait.
Senator Harder, given the importance of fisheries to the Canadian economy and the priority placed on protecting marine areas in the Speech from the Throne, will the government commit to conducting an environmental impact assessment for this project?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for her question. I particularly appreciate that she gave me notice of the question so that I could respond with the latest information.
I want to indicate that federal departments are continuing to provide expert advice to provincial processes to assess the Northern Pulp effluent project. Multiple federal departments, including Environment and Climate Change, Fisheries and Oceans, Transport, Health, and Public Services and Procurement are providing technical support and advice, and the government will continue to engage the Government of Nova Scotia on this important review.
The government has received a proposal from the proponents of the project and is currently evaluating whether or not a federal environmental assessment is warranted. Given Minister Wilkinson’s new position, and in the spirit of informed decision-making and ensuring certainty on timelines for proponents, the minister is thoroughly reviewing a series of designation requests from the Impact Assessment Agency, including Northern Pulp, and will arrive at a definitive decision on all of them by December 20, 2019.
