Protecting our human environment and heritage

Land use

In the areas where its facilities are built, Hydro-Québec works hard to ensure that land users can continue their activities during and after construction.

For example, the company works with local stakeholders to maintain favorable conditions for motor boating, canoeing and kayaking. Anglers also enjoy sport fishing in hydropower reservoirs.

In addition, Hydro-Québec is concerned about project impacts related to opening up territory and the effects this may have on traditional activities such as hunting, fishing and trapping.

As an example, Hydro-Québec worked closely with the Cree communities on the planning and construction of the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project. A special effort was made to maximize the participation of the Cree tallymen, who are responsible for managing trapline resources and harvesting activities, in developing and planning mitigation measures. Hydro-Québec entrusted the implementation of some of these measures to the tallymen, thereby generating additional economic spinoffs for the Crees. This active involvement has enabled the tallymen to resume their use of the land more quickly and to continue their traditional activities.

Here are some examples of measures implemented in cooperation with the tallymen.

Navigation
Before the Rupert diversion bays were impounded, the tallymen whose traplines were affected helped to choose boat ramp locations and develop navigation corridors between the boat ramps and their hunting grounds and camps.

The navigation corridors were cleared to facilitate boat travel. Clearing contracts were awarded to the tallymen, who hired family and community members to do the work.

During the Rupert diversion operating phase, the tallymen will be able to fly over the corridors periodically to check navigation conditions and the presence of wood debris. Collection of wood debris in the diversion bays will be planned in conjunction with the tallymen, who will be given priority for the clean-up contracts.

Hunting
Goose hunting is a traditional activity that is highly valued by the Crees. During spring goose migration, families gather in their hunting grounds and the young people are initiated into hunting by their elders.

At the request of the tallymen, Hydro-Québec agreed to look into the possibility of creating goose hunting ponds when jobsites were rehabilitated (borrow pits, stockpiling areas for construction materials, etc.). When construction was completed, the sites were analyzed and redevelopment proposals were submitted to the tallymen.

Access improvement
To compensate for project impacts, Hydro-Québec and SEBJ agreed to improve access to the tallymen’s camps by revamping existing access facilities or building roads or ATV trails. The routes were laid out with help of the tallymen, who can do the work themselves or hire a contractor.

Consult Hydro-Québec’s most recent environmental impact statements

Mercury and hydroelectric reservoirs: a temporary phenomenon, well-known and well-managed

Hydro-Québec has developed extensive expertise on the issue of mercury in hydroelectric reservoirs as a result of a research program set up with partners in the 1980s. Known for sound environmental management and strong commitment to sustainable development, the company implements all the necessary measures to avoid exposing the public to health risks.

In Québec, mercury concentrations in fish are not high enough to affect the general public, whose fish consumption is limited. For anglers and subsistence fishermen, recent data show that they are exposed to concentrations that are usually lower than the levels that would affect the health of adults or fetuses. No cases of mercury poisoning have been recorded among fish consumers in Québec.

Mercury is found in the natural environment in vegetation and forest soil as an inorganic compound that resists assimilation by living organisms. To get into the food chain, inorganic mercury has to be converted into methylmercury. This conversion occurs when bacteria decompose submerged vegetation (leaves, needles, mosses, grasses, etc.). Note that decomposition of trunks and branches of submerged trees is minimal. The increase in fish mercury levels after reservoir impoundment does not depend on the inorganic mercury content of soil, but rather on the quantity of decomposable submerged vegetation. The phenomenon is temporary because the vegetation decomposes quickly. Follow-ups on fish mercury levels in reservoirs show a return to natural levels in 10 to 35 years, depending on the fish species and the properties of the reservoir.

Preserving archaeological heritage

An archaeological dig at a site involves removing the surface soil and carefully collecting all artifacts left by previous occupants. To preserve the archaeological heritage of the Romaine watershed, archaeologists analyzed the Romaine study area and selected locations where Aboriginal groups and coastal trappers were likely to have lived. The discoveries enriched the knowledge about occupation of the Romaine basin in the past few millennia.

• > Comprehensive studies and close follow-up
• > Biophysical environment
• > Social acceptability
• > Economic spinoffs