In March 2014, Montreal International Fuel Facilities Corporation (MIFFC) submitted a project notice to the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) to build an airport fuel supply terminal in the municipality of Montréal-Est.
As part of the assessment process, MIFFC conducted an environmental impact study for the project that was submitted to the MELCCFP in November 2015. Information and consultation sessions were held prior to this submission including two open houses in April and July, 2015. These events were an opportunity to present the project to the community, as well as collect questions and comments from the public that would be taken into account in the design of the project and the impact study.
The project was authorized by decrees from the Government of Québec in June 2019 and June 2022. MIFFC therefore began the process of obtaining the required authorizations, permits, certifications, and other approvals from the regulatory bodies, and obtained several of them.
Approach
Throughout the consultation and evaluation process, MIFFC has chosen a proactive, collaborative, and transparent approach with all project stakeholders. This is why MIFFC has undertaken a structured consultation process with all stakeholders.
The impact study, carried out by the firm WSP, was submitted to the MELCCFP on November 6, 2015. The results of this study essentially indicate the following:
- Bringing the marine terminal closer to the airports served will reduce GHG emissions by more than 15% for the planned situation of the project.
- The project will comply with provincial and municipal air quality and noise standards.
- The project will generate significant local and Québec-wide economic spinoffs:
- Post-construction municipal taxes: several hundred thousand dollars per year
- Additional tax revenue for the Government of Québec: several million dollars
- Hundreds of temporary jobs (construction)
- About twenty permanent jobs (operation)
A risk analysis was also performed, and the results indicate that:
- Any accident impact on the rail site and the marine terminal would be contained within the industrial area.
- There is no domino effect in the scenarios analyzed for the marine terminal and the rail site.
- The project’s design and the mitigation measures considered ensure a low level of risk.
- Jet fuel is safer than more volatile petroleum products such as gasoline.
The completed environmental assessment study is available here: https://www.bape.gouv.qc.ca/sections/mandats/Terminal_Montreal_Est/documents/liste_documents.htm#PR