Matters To Follow In Environmental Law In Québec (2024)

Environmental law continues to make rapid progress. This bulletin discusses a few of the key developments to watch for in Quebec in 2024.

Continued implementation of environmental authorization scheme

Following the implementation in late 2021 of the requirement to use certain forms for applications for ministerial authorizations issued under the Environment Quality Act, the past two years have allowed for more practical testing of the new requirements resulting from the implementation of the environmental authorization scheme reform, which was undertaken in 2017.

While some irritants remain, at various phases of the process, including at the admissibility stage, the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) has made significant efforts to respond to some of the comments submitted by proponents. However, these proponents should stay tuned, as the MELCCFP regularly updates mandatory forms.