Report - Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale

Chapter 1 Opinions of participants
The Rabaska LNG terminal project and related infrastructure generated a significant
amount of interest from the population of Lévis and its surroundings, as well as from
within the local and regional socioeconomic communities. This interest was also
shared in surrounding regions as well as by various national organizations. The
number of briefs tabled and oral presentations heard by the Panel was without
precedent. Moreover, participation was abundant and sustained during the second
part of the public hearings reserved for the participants’ opinions and viewpoints.
Many participants have invested a considerable amount of effort in order to contribute
to the Panel’s proceedings. Obviously, participants voiced numerous concerns and
opinions, which were varied in nature and often conflicting. This chapter provides a
synthesis of these opinions and concerns. Although the amount of briefs tabled does
not permit us to quote each brief individually, the Panel endeavours to provide as
representative a summation as possible of all viewpoints expressed in the course of
the Panel’s proceedings.
This chapter shall first present the local community’s reception of the project, i.e. the
positions taken by its citizens and the tensions which have arisen since its
announcement. The opinions of participants regarding the justification of the project
are also discussed, together with project’s integration in the implementation zone and
its current layout. The project’s impacts on the local and regional economy are also
covered at length, particularly in regard to job creation as well as its potential
economic spin-offs. The possible negative impacts are also covered, specifically
those on tourism and the value of adjacent properties. The impacts on the human
environment raised by the participants mainly concern population safety with respect
to technological risks, the quality of life and the health of residents living nearby, as
well as the integrity of landscapes and heritage sites. Opinions and views described
also deal with the project’s impacts on the natural environment, including climate
change, wetlands and aquatic environments, as well as floral species and forest
cover. The chapter concludes with a description of the participants’ views regarding
the project’s social acceptability.
The community’s reception of the project
The opinions of the community regarding the project are polarized between those in
favour and those against. A high percentage of participants living close to the
implementation zone, including those from Lévis, the île d’Orléans and Beaumont, are
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