Despite an outcry last winter against the restrictions imposed on wood heating, the Marchand administration persists and signs with its new regulations, for the health of citizens.
“This is not an environmental measure, it is a public health measure,” insists Marie-Josée Asselin, vice-president of the executive committee responsible for the file. “These are 100 deaths per year that could be avoided by only having certified devices in Quebec,” she emphasizes, citing studies that show that prolonged exposure to fine particles emitted by wood heating weakens health and causes premature deaths.
This message, she says, is beginning to percolate through the population. “The citizens of Quebec are generous and altruistic. There is no one who wants to contribute to their neighbour being in a bad way.”
The new regulation provides for the banning of non-certified wood stoves in 2026, the banning of the installation of new fireplaces and the banning of the use of these devices from 2030. It also allows the City to ban all wood heating in the event of poor air quality. Last winter, the measure was used only once, in February.
13,200 devices declared
Over the past eight months, 13,200 owners have registered their wood-burning appliances. This is now an obligation decreed by the City. The City estimates that there are between 25,000 and 30,000 appliances on its territory. “There was a boom in registrations last winter,” confirms the Director of Prevention and Environmental Quality, Matthieu Alibert. But this summer, registrations have slowed down. The City plans to resume its communication efforts to encourage citizens to comply. Mr. Alibert believes that we will eventually reach a plateau and that some recalcitrant residents will refuse to declare their stove. In these cases, he points out that fines are planned and could be imposed after several reminders.
Lessons learned from last winter’s “saga”
The City learned from last winter’s saga, when several citizens protested the City’s ban on wood heating during an episode of poor air quality.me Asselin believes that we need to communicate better, remind people that it is temporary, and above all “be predictable” so that citizens are informed before “it explodes in the media”. She was not surprised by the reaction of citizens, more “sensitive” after a period of pandemic where “individual freedoms were restricted in the name of collective well-being”. However, she notes that the message is better understood. The ban can also be decreed as a preventative measure, when the conditions are right for a rapid deterioration in air quality, recalls Mme Asselin.
No fine issued
Since the adoption of the new regulation, no fines have been issued to recalcitrant citizens. We are focusing on awareness, says Matthieu Alibert. “This is a new regulation. We don’t want to hit citizens at this point in the integration of the regulation. Perhaps citizens are not aware or do not understand. The goal is to raise awareness among as many people as possible.”
Discussions continue with manufacturers
The City is continuing discussions with manufacturers, who would like ambient fireplaces to be certified and authorized by the new regulations. However, this is complex, explains the person in charge of the file, since it is difficult to establish comparisons in tests on particle emissions from ambient fireplaces and certified wood stoves. The City of Quebec has given an analysis mandate to university researchers to compare the emissions of different types of devices. According to Matthieu Alibert, it may then be possible to improve the regulation and the assistance program, which provides for a maximum subsidy of $1,000 to replace a non-certified device with a certified one or with a gas stove. In the meantime, manufacturers are working on solutions to improve the performance of their devices.
No complete ban in sight
In Quebec City, there are no plans to completely ban wood heating, insists councillor Marie-Josée Asselin. Between a scenario where there is no wood heating and a scenario where all appliances on the territory are certified, “the difference is not very big,” studies show. “We don’t want to go to a complete ban, but certification is essential,” she insists. “We have everything to gain by adapting,” recalls the elected official, emphasizing the harmful effects of fine particles from non-compliant stoves on citizens’ health. Wood heating is cultural in Quebec, but I think that as our scientific knowledge becomes more refined, there are behaviours that are no longer practiced.”
Do you have any information to share with us about this story?
Write to us at or call us directly at 1-800-63SCOOP.
