The Quebec government has put an end to oil and gas exploration on Anticosti Island.
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The province’s energy and natural resources department says the decision announced Friday was made to protect the island’s natural character and in support of its bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard increasingly distanced himself from the project after attending the international climate conference in Paris in 2015.
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Couillard expressed concerns about environmental risks and had questioned the project’s economic viability, repeatedly noting it was reached under the previous Parti Québécois (PQ) government.
In a news release, the government says negotiations are underway to get a number of companies to abandon their research rights.
READ MORE: Petrolia says Quebec will allow Anticosti drilling to go ahead
To date, deals have been reached with Junex, Corridor and Maurel & Prom for a total compensation of $41.4 million.
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