Quebec could be in charge of decontaminating the site of the former Aléris

Photo Hugo Joncas

Louis Cloutier

Friday, 9 march 2018 19:48

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Friday, 9 march 2018 19:48

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THREE RIVERS – It seems more and more likely that it is the ministry of the Environment, which will complete the work undertaken on the site of the former aluminium factory Aléris at Three Rivers, and who will conduct himself with the decontamination complete.

Quebec had suspended last year the work to turn to the courts and require that the former owners of the plant, which ceased operations in 2008, to pay the cleaning fee.

As the delays will be long, the member for Champlain, Pierre-Michel Auger, has begun discussions with his colleague Isabelle Melançon, minister of the Environment, in order to speed things up.

“What I asked is that it be done in parallel, that is to say that some of the steps to ensure that those who have polluted the site may pay for following the polluter-pays principle. But, at the same time, the government could decontaminate and return the site to the population”, said the deputy Auger.

The challenge is important. It is necessary to clean the sub-soil soaked with hydrocarbons, an operation that could cost at least $50 million.

The ministry of the Environment, which has taken over the management of the site, has already spent more than $ 10 million for pumping, surface cleaning and caretaking of the site is based in the sector Cap-de-la-Madeleine.

Once the site is rehabilitated, the City of Trois-Rivières intends to launch a residential development and commercial.