Hydro-Quebec categorically refute the recent accusations made by actor Roy Dupuis, spokesman of the Rivers Foundation, according to whom the state-owned organisation and the government are trying to buy the support of the elected representatives of the North Coast.

According to Roy Dupuis, the $700 million which will be handed out to the Minangie MRC over the next 50 years is above all to obtain the endorsement of the councillors in the execution of projects like the River Romaine, consisting of the imminent construction of four dams.

“This is entirely false,” replies the spokesperson for the public company, Marie-Elaine Deveault.  “The agreements that Hydro-Quebec is negotiating with the communities, councils and MRCs are made in a spirit of partnership, and are entirely comparable with other agreements made in the past as part of other projects of this scale.  We work with the local administrations to carry out a shared project.”

These funds, $100 million in today’s money, are to enable the economic, cultural and social development of the communities of the region.  “We’re talking about setting up businesses, supporting job creation, planning programmes for retraining,” illustrates Ms Deveault.

“These measures,” according to Marie-Elaine Deveault, will allow the Hydro-Quebec project to be integrated in a harmonious manner.

She gives the example of the funds dedicated to corrective work.  “$15 million is set aside to allow the council of Havre-Saint-Pierre to improve its infrastructure to be able to deal with the increased population that will arise out of the project.”