Montreal, June 29, 2021 – The Quebec Environmental Law Centre (CQDE) is filing a complaint against Gazoduq and its majority shareholder, Société en commandite Symbio Infrastructure (formerly Société en commandite GNL Québec), with Competition Bureau Canada, asking that the agency investigate possible misrepresentation in violation of the Competition Act.
Gazoduq and Symbio have allegedly repeatedly provided false or misleading information about important aspects of their pipeline project to transport methane gas from Western Canada to the Saguenay. In their communications, these companies have claimed that the pipeline project would be carbon neutral and would reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. The CQDE is asking the Competition Bureau to investigate these claims to ensure that any false or misleading assertions cease and are rectified publicly as soon as possible.
“With this initiative, we want to shed light on discourse that may constitute greenwashing and prove misleading for investors and the public. Such practices run counter to the public interest and undermine the public’s ability to make informed decisions about projects that may have major impacts on current and future generations,” explains Geneviève Paul, Executive Director of the CQDE.
“An increasing number of companies are using carbon neutrality and GHG reduction to promote their business interests. While such initiatives are essential in the fight against climate change, it is important to ensure that they are based on sufficient and appropriate evidence. Anyone claiming to be contributing to environmental protection must be able to prove it scientifically and unequivocally. To our knowledge, this is the first public case in which the Bureau will be examining a promotional campaign based on carbon neutrality,” explains Julien Beaulieu, legal counsel for the CQDE in this case and a lawyer who works in competition law.
Further information
Presented by the American company GNL Québec as two distinct projects, the construction of a pipeline and the construction of a natural gas liquefaction plant (fossil energy) in Saguenay are two sides of the same coin.
The Gazoduq project, referred to here, involves the construction of a pipeline of approximately 780 km to transport methane gas from Western Canada to the port of Saguenay, via Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Haute-Mauricie, Lac Saint-Jean, and Saguenay, and in Ontario, via Matheson, Timmins, and Kirkland Lake.
For more information
