Northvolt, the large Swedish electric vehicle battery making company, has been issued a notice of non-compliance by the Quebec Environment Department after the company hired a subcontractor that clear cut 1,044 square metres of wetlands near the site of its future plant in Saint-Basil-le-Grand.
In a press release, Northvolt writes, “This wetland is disconnected from the water system and its ecological functions have been assessed as low to medium.” Therrien says the company is complying with all environmental regulations and requirements from the government department and it’s committed to replanting some trees that were destroyed.“Collaboration is good with the enterprise. They were able to propose us a plan to correct the situation,” Benoit Charette, the Environment Minister told Global News.“That is totally unacceptable.
“A thousand square metres has been destroyed. It will take years for the creation of the same ecosystem,” Bonin said.