Quebec authorizes wind turbines near Mont Sainte-Anne

The Des Neiges wind megaproject, near Mont Sainte-Anne, has just received authorization to move forward from the Quebec government, despite the fears of citizens in the sector.

The decree adopted by the Council of Ministers will allow the installation of 57 wind turbines on the private lands of the Seigneurie de Beaupré, north of Mont Sainte-Anne. Work will begin in December.

And this is only the beginning, since this is only the first phase of the project. Ultimately, there will be 365 wind turbines with a total capacity of 1,564 MW on the lands of the Séminaire de Québec, which will make it the largest wind farm in the country.

Quebec therefore chose to move forward with the project despite the concerns of citizens in the sector, who fear the visual impact that large wind turbines will have on the landscape, much appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts.

Last June, the Environmental Public Hearings Bureau (BAPE) concluded that Boralex failed the test of social acceptability by minimizing citizens’ concerns, even though it was of the opinion that the wind project is “justified” to promote Quebec’s energy transition.

The commission had, among other things, underlined that the company looked too late at the landscape issue, and that this left an impression of a “fait accompli” which taints the credibility of the consultation process.

Faced with popular discontent, Boralex agreed to remove the three wind turbines closest to Mont Sainte-Anne and committed not to install any infrastructure less than five kilometers from the summit.