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Government of Canada provides Early Decision on Bécancour Port Terminal Expansion Project - B6 Wharf in Quebec

Friday, March 13, 2026 8:39 AM PDT

OTTAWA, ON, March 13, 2026 /CNW/ - The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) completed an assessment of the Bécancour Port Terminal Expansion Project – B6 Wharf, located in Quebec, and determined that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through other means.

To arrive at its section 16 decision under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), IAAC engaged other jurisdictions, federal experts, stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous Peoples to review the project description and identify potential effects within federal jurisdiction and frameworks to address these potential effects.

IAAC is of the view that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through existing federal and provincial laws and regulations. These include but are not limited to the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, the Pilotage Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, as well as Quebec's Environment Quality Act, the Act respecting threatened or vulnerable species, the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife and the Act respecting the conservation of wetlands and bodies of water.

As a result, no further assessment under the Impact Assessment Act is required and the federal assessment process is now complete. As a next step, Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (the proponent) will be required to seek any necessary federal and provincial authorizations and permits for the project.

The documents and list of factors considered can be found in IAAC's Notice of Early Decision with Reasons.

Quick Facts

Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour is proposing to expand the existing marine terminal by constructing a new wharf (B6) in Bécancour, Quebec. As proposed, the new wharf would be approximately 390 meters long and have one berth designed to handle ships larger than 25 000 deadweight tonnage (DWT). The project would also include dredging activities and the construction of a storage area.
The review process from start to finish took 79 days to complete.
IAAC facilitates the sustainable development of major projects subject to the IAA through open and efficient assessments. These assessments identify ways to ensure the environment and Indigenous Rights are protected as projects get built.
Decisions like these ensure that Canada's impact assessment process is efficient by determining at an early stage whether further assessment under the IAA is required.

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