Montreal, January 26, 2024 – The Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement (CQDE) and the three
citizens who filed the appeal are concerned about the impact of the work that could resume very soon
on the site of the Northvolt battery plant in Montérégie. Following the Court’s decision refusing the
request for an interim injunction, the company now has the choice of continuing its work or taking note
of repeated requests from civil society and voluntarily submitting its project to an independent
environmental assessment allowing full public participation.

“A deep worry subsists. Unless the company and the government realize the importance in Quebec of
public participation in the study of major industrial projects affecting the environment, and decide to
refer this project to the BAPE, there’s every reason to believe that the destruction of sensitive natural
environments will continue apace. This approach, which consists of destroying now and protecting later,
without knowing precisely where, when, or how, is in no way reassuring in the context of the
biodiversity loss crisis,” asserts Marc Bishai, a lawyer with the CQDE.

Now that nature has reclaimed its rightful place on the coveted land, the CQDE intends to continue its
struggle. The organization will take the time to analyze the decision with its lawyers at Lapointe Légal to
confirm whether they will proceed, as quickly as possible, with the request for an interlocutory
injunction to ask for a new suspension of work, so as to have time to shed more light on this project.

“We won’t declare defeat. Protection of the environment and full public participation should be the
guiding principles of all government action, especially when it comes to such major issues,” adds Mr.
Bishai.

The CQDE is grateful for the impressive work carried out by the Lapointe Légal law firm, which is
representing the organization and the citizen plaintiffs before the Superior Court in this case.

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