Invitation to participate in the first part of the public hearing

Québec, October 3, 2006 – The Commission of inquiry of the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE), chaired by Mr. Pierre Béland, invites the public, groups, municipalities and organizations to participate in the first part of the public hearing on the Belmont and Magpie lakes massif, Lac aux Sauterelles knolls, Guernesé lake foothills and Brador hills biodiversity reserve projects in the Lower North Shore Plateau natural province, whose territories have been set aside and have been assigned a temporary protection status as biodiversity reserves.

The first part of this public hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October16, 2006. In the course of this first part of the public hearing, the commission will hold the following sessions :

Sessions could be added depending on the needs of participants and the commission.

Unfolding of the public hearing

The BAPE will hold a hearing in two parts, all sessions of which will be open to the public. The first part of the hearing will allow participants and the commission to learn more about the projects and to determine all their aspects. Th e Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, which is submitting these projects, will first make a presentation of the four projects. Afterwards, it will be called upon, as will the resource persons invited by the commission, to answer the questions of the commission and participants. Participants will then be invited to ask the commission questions to obtain additional information, to inform the commission of elements of interest, to give their opinion orally, or to present a brief on any element pertaining to the matter. The participation of citizens in the public hearing is essential. Indeed, they are considered experts when it comes to their community.

During the second part of the hearing, planned for the month of November 2006, the individuals, groups, municipalities and organizations that so wish will be able to also present their opinion orally or submit a brief.

Available documentation

The documentation pertaining to the project, notably the draft conservation plans of the territories in question as well as the protection and management frameworks for the four biodiversity reserve projects in the Lower North Shore Plateau natural province is available to the public at the following locations :

The documentation can also be consulted at any time on the BAPE’s web site at the following address: www.bape.gouv.qc.ca under the heading Mandats en cours.

To receive information

To be informed of the BAPE’s activities in the specific matter of the four biodiversity reserve projects in the Lower North Shore Plateau natural province , it is possible to register by e-mail at the following address: reserves_basse_cote_nord@bape.gouv.qc.ca.

However, if you would like to receive information pertaining to each of the protected area projects for which the BAPE will hold a public consultation, you can register at the following address: aires -protegees@bape.gouv.qc.ca.

In both cases, you can also register by calling 418  643-7447 or, toll-free, 1 800 463-4732.

Individuals wishing to obtain more information can get in touch with Josée Primeau, coordinator of the commission’s secretariat, or Catherine Roberge, communications advisor, by calling the aforementioned telephone numbers or by e-mail at the following address: reserves_basse_cote_nord@bape.gouv.qc.ca.

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SOURCE: Catherine Roberge
Communications advisor
Telephone: 418 643-7447, extension 531
Toll-free: 1 800 463-4732