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Document reference number: 2

December 19, 2025 – The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) has determined that the proposed Construction of a Truck Access to the Grantech Site, Contrecoeur, Québec is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples;
• Indigenous knowledge;
• community knowledge;
• comments received from the public; and
• technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.

Mitigation measures considered for this determination are the following:

Air Quality

• Do not burn woody residues on site; prioritize sorting, chipping and reuse/recycling;
• Avoid engine idling;
• Keep vehicles and equipment in good working condition;
• Comply with equipment operation and maintenance manuals;
• Raise driver awareness regarding eco-driving practices;
• Unload dust-generating materials in designated storage areas and avoid overloading buckets or shovels to prevent spillage during manoeuvres;
• Use approved dust suppressants, as needed, when work is carried out during the summer on unpaved/gravel access roads and haul routes where significant dust emissions are observed, and clean roadways as required;
• Cover material loads with tarpaulins, as needed.

 

Surface Hydrography, Drainage and Runoff

• Install or rehabilitate vegetated ditches in the spring;
• Where required, install surface retention basins within ditches to store runoff volumes generated by a one-year return period rainfall event and release them at a controlled rate over a 24-hour period, in order to limit erosion during short-duration, high-intensity rainfall events.

 

Surface Water Quality

• Install sediment control measures (e.g., sediment fences or screens), where feasible, in ditches and watercourses to limit downstream transport of suspended solids;
• Minimize stripping, clearing, excavation, backfilling and grading activities to preserve natural topography and prevent erosion;
• Avoid storing soil and excavated materials within 30 m of a watercourse or water body, where feasible;
• Conduct refuelling activities at least 30 m from any watercourse or water body, where possible. When this is not feasible, the following measures shall apply: all fuel containers, hoses and nozzles must be leak-free, equipped with automatic shut-off devices, and operators must continuously monitor for potential leaks;
• Do not wash equipment or machinery in or near watercourses or water bodies;
• Prohibit the storage of fuel, oil or hazardous materials within 30 m of a watercourse or water body, unless secondary containment is provided;
• Ensure regular maintenance of vehicles and equipment and verify that they are free of leaks.

 

Soil Quality

• Minimize the extent of traffic and access areas;
• Strip and stockpile the topsoil and snow separately in anticipation of site restoration;
• Use equipment that minimizes ground pressure per unit area, where possible (e.g., tracked equipment or low-ground-pressure tires), and conduct stripping in successive strips;
• Prefer working on dry or frozen soils to reduce the risk of soil compaction and rutting;
• Under freezing conditions, apply measures that promote frost penetration, such as snow compaction or snow removal, to increase soil bearing capacity;
• Where site restoration is required, reuse original materials whenever possible, replacing soil layers in their original order and reinstating the topsoil at the surface;
• Restore temporary work areas promptly through regrading, leveling, stone removal, soil decompaction and seeding in the spring or during an appropriate period;
• Store hazardous materials and waste properly in designated areas to limit the risk of accidental spills;
• Implement spill response and contaminant recovery procedures in the event of a leak or spill;
• Manage soils with potential contamination, or exhibiting visual or olfactory indicators, to ensure they do not become a new source of environmental contamination;
• Reuse excavated materials where feasible and comply with applicable regulations regarding soil use criteria;
• Dispose of surplus excavated materials at authorized facilities and ensure traceability, where applicable;
• When construction activities are carried out under freezing conditions, do not mix snow with excavated materials;
• Maintain an emergency spill response kit on site at all times, including, for example, containment booms, absorbent pads, absorbent materials, containers and related accessories, to contain and recover any accidental spills resulting from equipment failure or refuelling operations.

 

Vegetation, Invasive Alien Plant Species and Natural Environments

• Clearly delineate areas to be cleared or grubbed to prevent unnecessary vegetation removal;
• Protect trees and vegetation at the boundaries of the work areas;
• Restrict machinery traffic to designated work areas and authorized access routes;
• Seed and/or reforest temporarily disturbed areas at the end of construction activities, where required;
• Maintain existing drainage conditions in natural environments adjacent to work areas, where applicable;
• Restore surface drainage conditions where they have been altered;
• Clean excavation equipment prior to arrival on site to prevent the spread of invasive alien plant species;
• Clean excavation equipment prior to leaving the site, at a location at least 30 m from watercourses, water bodies and threatened or vulnerable species, in an area not conducive to seed germination or plant growth, and dispose of cleaning residues at an authorized landfill site.

 

Terrestrial Fauna

• Limit project activities and rights-of-way to the minimum area required;
• Ensure that noise attenuation devices (e.g., mufflers) on machinery and equipment are properly maintained and in good working order;
• Control vehicle and equipment speeds to reduce the risk of wildlife collisions;
• Conduct wildlife deterrence (e.g., noise or visual checks) prior to equipment start-up to reduce mortality of animals that may have taken refuge in or around equipment overnight;
• Avoid clearing or tree removal during the nesting period of birds and bats; prioritize winter work where feasible;
• If clearing or tree removal is required during the nesting period, conduct a wildlife survey (or equivalent) by qualified biologists to identify active nests or maternity roosts prior to commencing work. Where applicable, appropriate mitigation measures shall be implemented to avoid disturbance to nesting activities.

 

Road Infrastructure and Equipment

• Coordinate required works with the relevant companies and the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable;
• Inform relevant stakeholders in a timely manner of project activities and potential impacts (work schedule, temporary restrictions, complaint management mechanisms, etc.);
• Limit vehicle and heavy equipment traffic outside designated access roads and work areas;
• Develop a traffic management plan prior to the start of construction;
• Establish designated trucking hours during construction activities;
• Use dust suppressants, where necessary, and clean roads used by project trucks;
• Ensure the presence of flaggers during the movement of vehicles and project equipment, where required.