Press Release

Opémican National Park Project

PIERRE ARCAND INVITES EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC HEARINGS

Québec City, May 23, 2012 – Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks Pierre Arcand invites interested individuals, groups and organizations to participate in the public hearings on the Opémican national park project in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. The hearings will take place on June 9 and 10.

Minister Arcand announced that, in accordance with the Parks Act, he has designated Brian Harvey to preside over the hearings on his behalf. Dr. Harvey is a professor of applied forest ecology and sylviculture at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) in Rouyn-Noranda. He is also Director of the Lake Duparquet Research and Teaching Forest. Dr. Harvey is very active in his field. He is involved in various local committee activities and has helped organize international scientific conferences in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

“I wish to remind everyone, particularly Témiscamingue residents, that this is a major project, devised in consultation with a regional working group established for this purpose in 2009. Public involvement is an important part of this initiative intended to protect and enhance the biodiversity and natural heritage of the targeted region through the creation of a national park. I am therefore counting on the participation of all those who submitted briefs and indicated their interest to come express their opinions and provide their comments,” said Minister Pierre Arcand.

Public hearing schedule and location

As a reminder, information on the Opémican national park project is available on the website of the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP) at: http://www.mddefp.gouv.qc.ca/parcs/opemican/index-en.htm.

Requests for additional information may be emailed to: opemican@mddefp.gouv.qc.ca.  

– 30 –