Environmental & Social Impact Assessment
The Mont Sorcier property is located within the territory covered by the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA), signed in 1975 between representatives of the Cree and Inuit peoples, the governments of Quebec and Canada, the James Bay Development Corporation, the James Bay Energy Corporation, and Hydro-Quebec. This is the first comprehensive land claims agreement (along with a similar agreement signed with the Naskapi Nation) signed in modern times between the governments of Quebec and Canada and an “Indigenous” people.
Chapter 22 of the JBNQA establishes an environmental and social protection regime applicable in the JBNQA territory, which includes a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and review process for development projects, such as the Mont Sorcier project, and is enshrined in Quebec’s Environment Quality Act.
The Mont Sorcier project is subject to both federal and Quebec’s environmental and social assessment processes led by specific assessment committees in which Cree representants are actively involved.
While each of the processes is conducted separately, both involve the public participation of indigenous and non-indigenous communities, including the main users of the territory, the neighborhood, municipal authorities, and multiple regional organizations.
Information and consultation meetings began in Spring 2021, at a very early step of the project, and have evolved alongside the progression of the Environmental and Social impact assessment, which started in 2023.
All information relating to the project’s federal environmental assessment procedures can be seen at:
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Registry:
All information related to the project’s Quebec environmental and social impact assessment:
- Evaluating Committee (COMEV) Registry
- Review Committee (COMEX) Registry: Click here (to come)
- Quebec Environmental assessment Registry: Click here (to come)