Mon Sep 09 15:41:47 UTC 2024: ## Federal Emergency Decree to Protect Caribou Could Cost Quebec $895 Million, Threaten 1,400 Jobs
**Montreal, Quebec** – A federal emergency decree aimed at protecting Quebec’s dwindling woodland caribou population could cost the province’s economy hundreds of millions of dollars and threaten thousands of jobs, according to a report by Radio-Canada.
The decree, which is still under consultation, could ban logging and road construction in areas where caribou are most at risk. Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada estimate that the decree could impact 53 companies, leading to a potential loss of 1,400 forestry jobs and affecting 28 forest-dependent communities.
The federal government anticipates that the decree would reduce companies’ ability to exploit forest resources by approximately four percent, resulting in estimated losses of between $670 million and $895 million over the next decade.
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has long criticized Quebec for failing to adequately protect the caribou population, which has declined significantly in recent years. He has recommended the emergency decree under Section 80 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA), citing the imminent threat to caribou survival.
Quebec’s Minister of Natural Resources, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, has denounced the decree, arguing that it will have severe consequences for the affected regions and will put thousands of workers out of a job. She has urged the federal government to reconsider its position.
The federal government, however, remains hopeful that an agreement with Quebec can be reached to address the caribou decline, potentially avoiding the need for an emergency decree.
The consultations on the decree are ongoing, with a final decision expected by September 15th. The impact of the decree on the Quebec economy and forestry industry remains a point of contention between the federal and provincial governments.
First Piper 