Franois Legault says Apuiat wind farm project won't move forward

Innu leaders remain optimistic that the Apuiat wind farm project is still on the table, despite Premier Franois Legault saying it will not move forward as long as Hydro-Qubec has an energy surplus.

Legault made the announcement aftera two-hour meeting with Indigenous leaders Thursday.

He cited arguments made by Hydro-Qubec president and CEOricMartel, who said the project would cost the Crown corporation $1.5 to $2 billion over 25 years.

Legault said, however, that Apuiat would be taken up again when Hydro-Qubec is no longer running a surplus but also said no energy deficit is expected for 20 years.

After the meeting, the Council of the ESSIPIT Innu First Nation issued a statement, saying that the trust between the Innu Nation and Martel had been broken.

It remained optimistic, however, that the Hydro-Qubec surpluses are being exaggerated.

It wantsLegault's statement that Apuiat will be revisited when those energy surpluses run out to become aformal agreement.

"The premier never said the project is dead and buried," the statement says.

"We continue to believe in the merits of the Apuiat wind project and will continue our tireless efforts to achieve this promising project for our Nation and all Quebecers."

The wind farm was projected to create 300 to 400 jobsduring the construction phase, with 10 to 15 permanent jobs staying in the region to maintain the operation over the next 25 years, according to the promoters.

The $600-million project had been backed by the former Liberal government and was highly criticized by the Coalition Avenir Qubec during the fall election campaign.

• CAQ government looking to abandon $600M wind farm on Quebec's North Shore

TheApuiatproject, first proposed in 2015, wastoproduce an estimated 200 megawatts annually from about 50 wind turbines on Quebec's North Shore, near the town of Port-Cartier.

The wind farm is beingdeveloped by Boralex, aprivate renewable energy firm,inpartnership with nineInnucommunities on the North Shore and in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. Under the proposal,Hydro-Qubecwould buy electricity from the consortium.

Hydro-Qubecconcluded a draft contract with promoters in August, but agreed to wait until after the Oct. 1 election to finalizethe deal.