Canada and Quebec Investing in Improved Access to Renewable Energy in Northern Quebec

March 5, 2020

The Canadian government and government of Quebec have announced a joint investment to connect the road stop at km 381 of the James Bay Road to the Hydro-Québec electrical distribution network with a power line approximately 41 kilometres long.

Use of this road stop is crucial, as it is the only one on James Bay Road, which is 620 kilometres long. The road stop serves a population of more than 11,000 people, including several Cree Nation communities, by offering food, lodging, fuel distribution and a mechanical service station. The site is currently powered by diesel generators. The work will provide access to a more efficient and reliable source of energy, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The total cost of the project is more than $4.8 million. The Government of Canada is investing more than $2.2 million in this project under the Rural and Northern Communities stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Quebec is contributing more than $2.6 million from the EcoPerformance Program, and other financing from the Société de développement de la Baie-James (SDBJ).

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, public transit projects, and Canada’srural and northern communities.
• $2 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects that meet the specific needs of rural and northern communities, such as projects for facilities to ensure food security, local road safety and enhanced broadband connectivity.
• The EcoPerformance Program seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use in organizations by funding projects or measures connected with energy use and production, as well as with process improvement. It is financed by the Green Fund, as part of the implementation of the 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan, and by the share collected from energy distributors.
• The James Bay Region Development Act, which created the SDBJ, was adopted by the Quebec National Assembly in 1971. As a result, the SDBJ has been in existence for more than 45 years. Its mission is to promote, from a sustainable development perspective, economic development, improvement and exploitation of natural resources other than hydroelectric resources under Hydro-Québec’s mandate, in the James Bay territory. It may, in particular, encourage, support and participate in the implementation of projects toward these ends.

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