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Sanikiluaq residents put the gears into hydro project

Environmental assessment left 384 questions unanswered

JOHN THOMPSON

Sanikiluaq residents are gearing up for public consultations on a major hydroelectric project in Northern Quebec, which they fear could have devastating ecological consequences on their home community.

The multi-billion dollar power project would divert water from the Eastmain and Rupert rivers, which empty into James Bay. Sanikiluaq residents are concerned how this might affect the movements of marine life like whitefish and beluga whales.

In August the joint-review panel, made up of federal, Quebec and Cree representatives, concluded the environmental assessment done by the project's proponents had "major omissions" and asked for 384 supplemental questions to be answered.

By late November Hydro Quebec supplied that extra information, but Nunavut's working group, which consists of Nunavut Tungavik Inc., the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Nunavut Government and the Hamlet of Sanikiluaq, feels it's still owed more answers.

"They're playing an old game, really," said Miriam Fleming, secretary of the Nunavut Hudson Bay Inter-Agency Working Group, or Nunavuummi Tasiujarjuarmiuguqatigiit Katujiqatigiingit.

In its last report, Hydro Quebec maintains no substantial ecological impact will be felt beyond the "plume," where salt and fresh water mix, she said. That flies against NTK's own assessment, released in a report this May.

"Research substantiates there is very much an effect, and just saying categorically there's no effect beyond the plume is just so backwards, really. It's really hard to understand," Fleming said.

NTK plans to submit their own response later this month. After that, they'll begin gearing up for public hearings on the project, due to be held at some point in Montreal.

They also could have a new ally. At NTK's most recent biannual meeting, held in Sanikiluaq last weekend, a representative from Makivik joined them at the meeting. Fleming said they were told Nunavik Inuit had their concerns as well, and would also file these as part of the public process.

That's a change from a decade ago, when Makivik supported the Great Whale damming project and set themselves at odds with Sanikiluaq residents.

Like today, residents feared then the negative effect on water currents, ice and marine life around the Belcher Islands the hydroelectric project might have. The flooding of forests and land for hydro-electric projects is also known to release mercury into the environment.

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