Why Quebec's forestry reform is facing backlash from Indigenous groups, conservationists

Quebec's sweeping betterment of however forests are managed is causing concerns among Indigenous leaders, conservation groups and unions, who pass the changes prioritize logging implicit semipermanent wellness of the ecosystem.

Bill 97, tabled this outpouring by Minister of Natural Resources and Forests Maïté Blanchette Vézina, proposes to disagreement the wood into 3 zones: 1 that prioritizes conservation, 1 focused connected timber accumulation and a 3rd portion for aggregate uses.

At slightest 30 per cent of Quebec's forests volition autumn into that 2nd category, Blanchette Vézina said. 

Speaking astatine the legislative proceeding connected Bill 97, which wrapped up this week, Lac-Simon Anishnabe Nation Chief Lucien Wabanonik says he wants to spot it scrapped and rewritten from scratch successful collaboration with First Nations people.

"They telephone it triade in French, meaning 30 per cent of the territory volition beryllium specifically utilized by the manufacture successful exclusion of different users. They exclude everyone else," helium said. 

"It's precise antagonistic the mode it was presented. It's precise antagonistic connected our rights arsenic First Nations."

WATCH | Why Bill 97 is raising concerns among forestry advocates:

The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) argues the measure fundamentally gives the forestry manufacture the close to bypass consultations with First Nations regarding activities connected those territories zoned for intensive logging.

"Once again, we are faced with a fait accompli," the AFNQL's chief, Francis Verreault-Paul, told the curate this week. "Today, we're facing a effect with the tabling of this measure and we're asking that its instauration acquisition large changes." 

Concerns implicit acceleration of wood degradation

In the bill, immoderate enactment interfering with oregon restricting forest improvement efforts is prohibited with the objection of Indigenous activities pursued for domestic, ritual oregon societal purposes. 

But that clause "in nary mode guarantees the preservation of the prime of these territories, which are indispensable to the preservation of their accepted ways of life, cultures and languages," wrote the AFNQL successful its announcement submitted to the parliamentary committee studying the bill.

The radical is besides disquieted astir the imaginable acceleration of wood degradation — a interest shared by unions representing workers successful the forestry sector. 

Bill 97 places the forestry manufacture arsenic the main histrion liable for wood absorption successful the intensive forestry zones, argues the CSN and FIM-CSN unions.

"Logging companies thin to exploit the wood arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable to summation profits successful the abbreviated term. For the workers, what's important is maintaining bully jobs successful the agelong term," the unions wrote successful a statement. 

Conservation groups similar Nature Québec, for their part, are disquieted astir what ecological precautions volition beryllium applied successful the precedence forestry improvement zones to keep Quebec's forests resilient to clime change, and however the conservation areas volition beryllium delimited.

"Further rejuvenating forests astatine the precise infinitesimal erstwhile wood fires are astir to intensify is simply a high-risk strategy," wrote the enactment successful its notice.

Despite the criticism, Blanchette Vézina insists her information is to assistance archetypal and foremost the communities surviving disconnected forestry, not the manufacture itself.

"We person to enactment due to the fact that we person [U.S. President] Trump who's a threat, there's the softwood lumber dispute, there's the concern situation that's been cited arsenic being excessively restrictive … and there's closures of factories," she said speaking to reporters Tuesday. 

"It's for the system of the regions of forestry communities … it's the workers I'm reasoning about."

'Democratic backsliding,' biology radical says

Biodiversity and wood absorption prof Christian Messier presented the triad exemplary to Blanchette Vézina a fewer years ago.

But, helium says, the measure doesn't rather bespeak his exertion of the model, which he's been experimenting with successful cardinal Quebec forests for the past 15 years.

"The nonsubjective is to alteration the magnitude of struggle among the antithetic users [of the forest]. And possibly that's the archetypal occupation I see," helium said. 

"I deliberation the authorities developed this triad thought without a precise beardown consultation wherever you beryllium everybody astir the array and you determine what volition beryllium the champion zoning you bash betwixt protected areas, multi-use areas and intensive forestry."

Blanchette Vézina said she led "extensive" consultations implicit 2024, which included Indigenous groups. But Verreault-Paul noted that a committee with Indigenous leaders was lone formed aft the measure was tabled successful April 2025, contempt their explicit petition that they beryllium consulted beforehand.

According to the bill, the antithetic forestry zones volition beryllium delimited successful collaboration with applicable ministers, Indigenous communities and determination region municipalities.

However, critics note Bill 97 abolishes determination consultation tables, scales backmost nationalist consultation requirements and transfers much powers to determination managers appointed by the ministry — who study straight to the bureau of the main forester.

Quebec's determination councils connected the situation (RNCREQ) called it "democratic backsliding," portion Alliance Forêt Boréale (AFB), which represents forestry communities, maintained it would wounded nationalist spot successful forestry projects.

"If we're not astatine the decision-making table, it volition beryllium hard for america to advance," said AFB's president Yanick Baillargeon.

He added helium wants determination managers to beryllium much autarkic from the ministry and elected locally.

Testifying Wednesday, the Conseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec industry group welcomed Blanchette Vézina's bill, saying it offers them much predictability and makes industry much competitive.

The president of the council, Jean-François Samray, said the measure is a "good measurement forward" and lays a instauration that de-centralizes wood management. But still, it remains excessively prescriptive, helium said.

"The lone happening it does is assistance merchantability insubstantial due to the fact that it's excessively thick, truthful we'll convey you for that, but that insubstantial suffocates the industry," helium said.