Montreal activists seeking federal environmental review of Northvolt plant

A handful of activists held a small protest Tuesday outside the Montreal riding office of federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. They’re seeking a federal impact study on the environmental risks the Northvolt EV battery plant will have on the ecosystem in Saint-Basile-le Grand.

“We’re asking them to do an evaluation because we fear that there are many things in that project that are concerned to our citizens,” Ashley Torres, a coordinator for Mères au Front told Global News.

The group met with a staff worker at Guilbeault’s office and handed her their request.

“An environmental assessment is not like, refuse the project, it’s look into it. What are the things that the company needs to do and be transparent with the citizens?” Torres said.

Torres fears the construction of the plant, which is underway, threatens the fragile wetlands in the area, as well as vegetation and wildlife.

A similar demand for an environmental assessment was made at the provincial level but it was declined.

No one from Guilbeault’s office replied to Global News with a comment by deadline.

NDG leader Jagmeet Singh says an environmental assessment makes sense.

“Vital steps around assessing the impact on the environment have been skipped and that’s why we support the demand to say let’s make sure we’re checking to see if there’s going to be impacts on the environment, let’s assess that first,” Singh said while visiting Montreal.

In an email to Global News, a spokesperson for Northvolt North America wrote, “Northvolt obtained all the necessary permits, following a rigorous and serious demonstration,” according to Emmanuelle Rouillard-Moreau.

Northvolt is building its plants in Saint-Basile-le-Grand hoping to eventually produce enough batteries to charge one million EVs a year.