Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles – Work on phase II begins

 

Sept-Îles, May 10, 2016 – Today the City of Sept-Îles and the Port of Sept-Îles submitted the Phase II report of the Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles.

The Phase II study, which included a sediment characterization of the bay, was conducted in 2014 and 2015 by INREST research institute for northern environment and occupational health, in collaboration with researchers from the St. Lawrence Global Observatory (SLGO), Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), and Université du Québec à Rimouski. The following parameters were studied in the second research phase: sediment quality (organic matter, particle size, physicochemical analyses), benthic community, water analysis, and the second phase of the study on brightness.

“At this stage, the data collected is not sufficient to conclude or rule on the state of the bay,” said INREST director and researcher Dr. Julie Carrière. “We need to complete the work to present a comprehensive overview of the Bay of Sept-Îles. The ideas and recommendations are intended to guide and target research in subsequent phases.”

Background of the study

The second phase of analysis is part of the larger Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles project, which sets out to:

  • Understand the current state of the bay
  • Measure and predict environmental impacts on the bay’s ecosystem
  • Monitor the evolution of various components analyzed over the short, medium, and long term by setting up an environmental monitoring mechanism
  • Provide stakeholders with the tools they need to make decisions and approach environmental management from a sustainable development perspective
  • Respond to community expectations and concerns

Launched in 2013, this innovative method of characterizing the ecosystem of the Bay of Sept-Îles is a testament to the determination of the partners involved to work together on environmental and sustainable development issues. The initiative aims to provide an overall picture of the bay and develop a monitoring tool for the future.

“This integrated and ongoing scientific research method is a first on the St. Lawrence,” said Port of Sept-Îles president and CEO Pierre Gagnon. “It reflects the environmental leadership of the City and Port of Sept-Îles and will help protect our valuable marine ecosystems in the Bay of Sept-Îles, while ensuring responsible planning based on sustainable development values.”

“Phase II of the Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles will build on Phase I, which was completed in 2013,” said Sept-Îles mayor Réjean Porlier. “It will improve knowledge of the sector, so we’ll be able to determine what actions we need to take to maintain it over the long term.”

Phase III

Phase III of the study will begin in the spring of 2016 and will cost an estimated $650,000, to be funded jointly by the City and the Port of Sept-Îles, Société du Plan Nord, and private-sector company. An official announcement about when the work will start should be made in the coming weeks.

Phase I required an investment of $385,000, which was split among the Port of Sept-Îles, Corporation de protection de l’environnement, and Développement économique Sept-Îles. Phase II of the study cost $161,000, and was split equally between the Port and the City of Sept-Îles.

To consult the report

The full Phase II report and a summary presentation will be available online at www.baie.septiles.ca, and on the Port of Sept-Îles and City of Sept-Îles websites. As in Phase I, the public can submit questions by completing the questionnaire provided for this purpose by June 10, 2016. All questions received will be compiled and the answers published on this site. The response time will depend on the number and complexity of questions received.

Paper versions are available for on-site consultation at the Louis-Ange-Santerre Library, the Wilfrid-Gallienne Centre in Moisie, and the Marguerite Community Centre in Gallix.

About INREST

INREST is an organization affiliated with Cégep de Sept-Îles. Its mandate is to manage the Cégep’s occupational health and environment research unit. Its mission is to conduct research in environmental and occupational health sciences with regard to activities carried out in a northern environment. INREST’s objectives are to develop innovative applicable projects that take sustainable development concerns into account, to provide scientific data to aid decision-making, and to measure impacts on public health and the safety of workers. INREST encourages its partners to pool their resources to find solutions to the challenges posed by northern development.

Sources:

Patsy Keays
Director, Corporate Affairs
Port of Sept-Îles
Tél. : 418 961-1235

Amélie Robillard
Communications Advisor
City of Sept-Îles
Tél. : 418 964-3344

For interviews:

City of Sept-Îles
Réjean Porlier, Mayor
Tél. : 418 964-3211

Port of Sept-Îles
Pierre D. Gagnon, President and CEO
Tél. : 418 968-1231, poste 223

INREST
Dr. Julie Carrière, Director and Researcher
Tél. : 418 962-9848, poste 369

Sommaire du rapport de la phase II de l’Observatoire de veille environnementale de la baie de Sept-Îles