Quebec government puts end to oil and gas exploration on Anticosti Island

QUEBEC — The Quebec government announced Friday there won’t be any further oil and gas exploration on Anticosti Island, putting the controversial drilling project to rest.

Natural Resources Minister Pierre Arcand said a decision was taken to protect the island’s natural character and support its bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which the province has formally backed.

“It was clear to us that it was very difficult both to exploit the hydrocarbons and at the same time to apply to UNESCO for Anticosti,” Arcand said in Montreal.

The project, conceived under the previous Parti Quebecois government, had become a political hot potato after Premier Philippe Couillard’s Liberals came to power in 2014.

In 2014, the PQ announced a $115 million investment, a first step towards gas exploration on Anticosti Island, estimating a potential of 46 billion barrels.

The exploration work was aimed at determining the hydrocarbon potential, in terms of quality and volume, on the eastern Quebec island.

However, Couillard increasingly distanced himself from the project after attending the international climate conference in Paris in 2015.

The premier expressed concerns about environmental risks and had questioned the project’s economic viability, repeatedly noting it was reached under the previous PQ government.

The provincial government said Friday that negotiations are underway to compensate a number of companies for cancelling their contracts.

Deals have been reached with Junex, Corridor and Maurel & Prom for a total compensation of $41.4 million.

“These agreements demonstrate the seriousness of our government and our commitment to respect the signature of the previous government,” Arcand said.

Discussions are ongoing with Quebec City-based Petrolia Inc. and Trans American.

The island located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is home to deep canyons, impressive waterfalls and numerous caves.

The head of a local environmental group said the risks of drilling there would have far outweighed any potential economic benefit.

“Anticosti is a jewel, a place worthy of being part of UNESCO’s world heritage,” said Steven Guilbeault of Equiterre. The Canadian Press