Anticosti's bid for UNESCO threatened by Quebec

Anxious to protect the interests of the forest industry, the government of Francois Legault directly threatens the application of the island of Anticosti for a UNESCO World Heritage inscription, according to information obtained by The duty. The mayor of the municipality fears even for the survival of his community if the obstruction of Quebec continues.

Supported since 2017 by the federal government, the island's bid is essentially based on the "outstanding universal value" and "globally recognized" of its geology. It must be said that we find on Anticosti the testimony of "the first massive extinction of animal life on a global scale", mainly through its fossils.

Scientific Director of the Steering Committee of the UNESCO Candidature File, Andre Desrochers studied for several years the geology and palaeontology of Anticosti. And according to him, the biggest island of Quebec is downright "first class" as a witness of this period that goes back more than 445 million years.

In order to facilitate the progress of the Anticosti file until its inscription on the prestigious list of world heritage, the government of Philippe Couillard had promised to protect the 7900 km2 of its territory by 2020. A case that would have constituted a major asset for recognition by UNESCO, according to Mr. Desrochers.

However, this project of protection of the island fell to the water with the coming to power of Coalition Avenir Quebec, laments the mayor of the municipality, John Pineault. The steering committee of the UNESCO file has therefore decided to propose a "major compromise" to the interministerial committee charged with "putting in place the appropriate protection, conservation and management measures" prior to the registration of Anticosti.

Since the "exceptional quality" fossil sites are located all along the coast of the island, Mr. Desrochers explains that it has been suggested to set up a "buffer zone" of two kilometers, from the coast to the interior. of the island. This would preserve the "exceptional character" of the site that UNESCO wishes to recognize. Such a measure would at the same time have made it possible to protect "all the archaeological potential" around the island, which would include remnants of occupation of the territory going back more than 3500 years.

Andre Desrochers is also formal: "any UNESCO World Heritage site requires protection measures. This is absolutely essential, so much so that without these measures, the site will be refused. We must therefore propose a project that includes a logical and thoughtful buffer zone, otherwise it is certain that the application will not be accepted ".

According to him, the project might not even be submitted by the federal government, knowing that the refusal of the UN organization is predictable. "They will not let us submit the file" without adequate safeguards, says Desrochers.

Ministerial refusal

All the ministries involved in the interministerial committee, including the Environment Committee, have accepted this "buffer zone" proposal. But the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) has issued an unfavorable opinion. The Steering Committee of the UNESCO dossier therefore proposed a new compromise, with a single-kilometer band. The MFFP again issued an unfavorable opinion.

According to information obtained by The duty and according to John Pineault, the department wants to protect territories that could be the subject of industrial logging. The cuts of wood are around 100,000 cubic meters per year on Anticosti, or 0.3% of the 34.2 million cubic meters of annual "forest opportunities" across Quebec.

The MFFP admits to having issued an unfavorable opinion, after having "carried out an analysis that shows repercussions both in terms of white-tailed deer hunting activities and forestry activity". According to the Ministry, a buffer zone "would affect" the deer management strategy, but also "certain outfitters". And "the forestry activity would also be affected significantly," says one written answer.

Mr. Pineault said the proposed buffer zone allowed hunting, fishing and ATV traffic to continue, as well as protecting the mouth of several Anticosti rivers, which are home to 24 salmon rivers. The mayor also deplores the attitude of the MFFP and promises to continue the steps for the ministry to accept the establishment of protective measures before the submission of the candidacy to UNESCO, expected in 2021. He launches at the same time a warning to the Legault government: "If the MFFP camps on its positions, there is no wood coming out of the island next year".

John Pineault relies heavily on recognition at UNESCO to ensure the survival of an anticosite community whose population is reduced to fewer than 200 people living on an island that is 18 times the size of Montreal.

"The government is putting the recovery of the island and the survival of the community at risk. It's so disappointing, especially that having an island like Anticosti that would be a UNESCO World Heritage site would be a great showcase for Quebec internationally. We are doing our best to develop tourism projects, to diversify our economy, but all we get is the blows of baseball bats in the knees, "he says, disappointed.

At the end of the day, Friday, the MFFP finally indicated to the Duty that it "analyzes other options" of protection that will be submitted to the Quebec Ministry of the Environment, but without further details.