Quebecers held a general election on April 7, 2014 and elected a majority government led by the Quebec Liberal Party. During its campaign, the Quebec Liberal Party (Liberal Party) made certain electoral commitments with respect to environmental and energy issues. Below is an overview of what we can expect in terms of policy developments on these issues based on commitments made during the election campaign.

REESTABLISH QUEBEC AS A LEADER IN GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION

The Liberal Party intends to convene the climate change advisory committee in the first 100 days of its mandate. It plans to maintain the existing carbon market in order to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020.

Moreover, with respect to protected lands, 10 per cent of the marine territory would be earmarked as protected marine areas by 2015.

INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE

The Liberal Party intends to finance the maintenance and upgrading of existing infrastructure and further develop public transit infrastructure. Details on how this goal will be achieved have not yet been provided.

RELAUNCHING NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT WITH PLAN NORD +

The Liberal Party will establish the Société du Plan Nord, which had been proposed by the Liberals in 2011 but was never constituted, in order to coordinate the development of the territory and enable the development of a world-class network of suppliers and equipment manufacturers in the mining, forestry and hydroelectricity sectors.

The Liberal Party plans to invest C$3 billion in infrastructure in order to develop the north and establish an economic mining mission at the international level to reassure and attract investors to the province.

In order to contribute to the ecological planning for northern development and improve knowledge of the economic, social and environmental aspects of the north, the Liberal Party plans to create a network to support research and knowledge development. At this stage, information on the implementation of such a network has not yet been provided.

The Liberal Party also intends to facilitate a co-investment agreement between private companies to establish a rail link connecting the iron ore deposits of the "Labrador Trough" and the Port of Sept-Îles.

NATURAL GAS SUPPLY ON THE NORTH SHORE

The Liberal Party undertook to supply the Côte Nord with natural gas, either through the extension of an underground network or by the transport of liquefied gas.

SHARING MINING, OIL AND GAS ROYALTIES WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES

Mining, oil and gas royalties would be shared with local communities, all the while taking into account the objectives of the municipalities. The details of how the implementation of this proposed sharing mechanism remains unclear. The Liberal Party would also favour economic diversity by local entrepreneurship to prepare for the "post-boom" period associated with resource development.

RENEWING THE FOREST INDUSTRY

The Liberal Party proposes to improve the productivity and competitiveness of Quebec forestry. It plans on achieving this by investing C$225 million per year for five years in silvicultural projects; financially supporting the development and maintenance of multi-user forest roads; evaluating the relevance of revisiting electricity tariffs with companies; reviewing the rules of the Bureau de mise en marché des bois; strengthening the links between the education sector and industry; and assisting industry and forest cooperatives in the replacement of forestry equipment.

The Liberal Party also wants to encourage innovation by promoting forest biomass and pursuing the establishment of the Charte du bois, which aims at increasing the use of wood in construction.

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