Legault wants to make Quebec one of the first carbon neutral states
Francois Legault affirms his desire to make Quebec a leader in the fight against climate change, by becoming “one of the first from North America – if not the first – to become carbon neutral.
The Prime Minister said in a press scrum that he wanted to rely on the industry to achieve this objective. Industries represent 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in the province and polluting energies must be replaced by clean energies, he recalls.
Quebec is at the forefront of change for the production of lithium for electric car batteries, steel and green aluminum, says the Premier.
François Legault believes that these changes in the Quebec economy could bring in money for the government by transforming jobs paying $50,000 a year into jobs paying $100,000 a year. He wants to close what he calls a “wealth gap” with Ontario, the rest of Canada and the United States. “I want us to be able to invest in the quality of life of Quebecers” justifies the head of the provincial government.
A role for Hydro-Québec
Regarding fears expressed a few months ago by outgoing Hydro-Quebec CEO Sophie Brochu that the state-owned company would become a “Dollarama” of electricity, Legault explained that in the past disadvantageous contracts had been concluded, but that his government would not do the same. He believes that Ms. Brochu would not repeat her remarks.
The Prime Minister clarified that “Hydro-Québec should never sign a contract if the discount given is greater than the additional revenue that this contract brings” . He therefore defends himself from putting profits before the common interest and affirms that he “works for the benefit of Quebecers and not of companies, just like Pierre Fitzgibbon, Sophie Brochu and the future president of Hydro-Québec. “.
The leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) wants to rely on the state corporation to produce more electricity to meet the needs of a carbon-neutral Quebec. Needs that are estimated at 100TWh. Several scientists would favor energy sobriety to allow this transition rather than an increase in the capacity of electricity production, especially if this involves more dams.
