A Swedish battery manufacturing giant has begun clearing land and destroying wetlands to construct its new EV battery plant, which has sparked public outcry and raised questions about the environmental cost of green technologies.
Despite Northvolt’s aim to support sustainable energy, critics argue the company’s actions stand in stark contrast, threatening a biodiverse habitat.
After receiving approval from the Legault government to backfill various biodiverse wetlands, the Swedish multinational company secured a tree-cutting permit last Friday from the Saint-Basile-le-Grand municipality.
This permit, granted just three days before a critical municipal council meeting on Monday—during which residents questioned elected officials and demanded an environmental assessment of the project—has paved the way for clearing approximately 8,000 trees and over 130,000 square meters of wetlands.
Sabrina Guilbert, co-spokesperson for the Comité action citoyenne – Projet Northvolt, emphasized the social repercussions of the project.
“One thing is clear: until the environmental, social and economic impacts of the Northvolt plant are investigated, the project will not be socially acceptable,” she said.
Despite public concerns, Mayor Yves Lessard confirmed that Saint-Basile-le-Grand will not seek an environmental assessment, often involving a review by the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE).
The city wanted to “develop this sector,” he said, asserting the project has “social acceptability” in the region. The issue is normally dealt with at BAPE hearings.
While citizens attended Monday’s municipal council meeting, clearing work on Northvolt’s site was already ongoing. Tree-cutting takes place from 7am to 9pm, which the company says complies with municipal bylaws. The municipal website states that the work will take place from Monday to Friday for six weeks.
Some of the work will take place in the dark, but the company said it can monitor the presence of wildlife in areas where woodlands and wetlands are destroyed.
“Before work begins on each of the identified areas, the biologist first performs a check to validate the presence of animals. If no animals are identified, the biologist confirms to the workers that they can proceed,” Northvolt said in an email, according to Le Devoir.
According to another document obtained by Le Devoir, a wildlife inventory carried out at Northvolt’s request confirmed the presence of several painted turtles and snapping turtles on the site. Due to the timing of the site preparation coinciding with the turtles’ hibernation season, it will result in these animals being buried alive.
The project’s approval contrasts with the Legault government’s decision to reject a similar development proposal on the same site less than a year ago. The project previously rejected would have destroyed about 65,000 square metres of wetlands. In comparison, the current project will affect over 150,000 square metres of wetlands, including over 15,000 square metres that will be restored by the end of 2032.
This contrast in decisions is not lost on critics like Stéphanie Pellerin, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Montreal.
“The reasons mentioned in March 2023 are still valid today,” she said, questioning how a site previously deemed crucial for biodiversity protection could suddenly be considered expendable.
Alain Branchaud, general director of the Society for Nature and Parks of Quebec, echoed this sentiment, calling for an independent environmental assessment:
“Two similar requests presented for the same destruction activities and for the same batches over an interval of only 10 months with the results being two diametrically opposed responses endored by the same signatory. Clearly, the more we dig into this file, the more it becomes clear to us that an independent environmental assessment is necessary,” said Branchaud, according to Actual News Magazine.
According to official figures given to Le Devoir by the Quebec government, the area is home to 21 species classified as threatened or vulnerable, along with 142 bird species. Government authorities have stated that approving the proposed construction in this location would have “weakened the connectivity links between the region’s natural environments.”
