As another distinct yet connected hydro-electric dam project called the Eastmain 1-A/Rupert project was forming on the horizon, the Cree and Inuit entered into new negotiations with Quebec Premier Bernard Landry [7]. Hornig, [e-book] McGill-Queens University Press. January 17, 2023. Eventually, they were successful: The Battle for James Bay. In 1965, Hydro-Qubec survey program included exploration of the territory and hydrographic surveys of areas between the 52nd and 55th parallel. In: J.F. [click to view], Human rights impacts of Canadian hydropower[click to view], Level of Investment for the conflictive project, Canadian federal government, Quebec provincial government, Grand Council of the Cree (Of Quebec), the Northern Quebec Inuit Association. In the agreement, the Cree and Inuit surrendered their land claims for $225 million, retaining special hunting and fishing rights (see Fisheries). 3 (1991). All donations above $3 will receive a tax receipt. Kosygin supported Bourassa's project and expressed concerns regarding his country's own nuclear power, explaining his country had to develop the technology because the USSR lacked suitable rivers to expand its own hydroelectric network of dams and power stations. James Bay Project Web1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd Suite 580 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561-246-9813. get directions In 1990, Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come organized a canoe trip from Hudson Bay to the Hudson River, in Albany, New York, and this very effective public relations stunt brought international pressure to bear on the government of Quebec. As James Bay hydroelectric project The Battle for James Bay 48 (2), pp.101118. : The struggle against the James Bay Hydro Project has led to unprecedented agreements between the affected indigenous communities and the governments of Quebec and Canada. Opposition to the project, however, was strong among the 5,000 Crees of James Bay, the 3,500 Inuit to the north and several environmental groups. [7] Desbiens, C., 2004. Canadians should have access to free, impartial, fact-checked, regularly updated information The James Bay is an important site for the construction of several large hydroelectric projects. Hornig, ed. A website of Hydro-Qubec. The James Bay Hydro-electric Project, presently under construction in northern Qubec, is one of the world's largest energy developments. [35] Three new reservoirs covering an area of 1,600km2 were created, including the Laforge-1 Reservoir covering 1,288km2. The project also altered the ecology of the James and Hudson bays, disrupting spawning cycles, nutrient systems, and other important maritime resources. Hydroelectricity Access more information about hydroelectricity in Quebec. According to journalists witnessing the scene, Bourassa's speech concluded on a scene of indescribable enthusiasm. With unprecedented access to key figures like Cree leader Matthew Coon Come and Consequently, the flooded vegetation's stored mercury (Hg) was released into the aquatic ecosystem, and due to the diversion of the water flow to contained reservoirs, the sudden abundance of mercury in the James Bay area in 1979 was unable to be dispersed and diluted as would have been the case in natural waters. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. ( See also Hydroelectricity in Canada .) Dozens, then hundreds of people were sent by helicopter and seaplanes in inaccessible areas of the taiga to perform surveys and geological studies to identify potential sites for hydropower development. WebThe Socit d'nergie de la Baie James is the company in charge of building the hydroelectric development known as the James Bay Project in northern Quebec. James Bay Project [citation needed], Seasonal reversal in the flow of rivers can potentially rob the rich nutrients that thrive in various mudflats and coastal marshes, affecting millions of migratory birds such as waterfowl, Canada geese, and various inland birds that use the coastlines of both the James and Hudson Bays during their spring and fall migrations.[38]. In 1971, Hydro-Qubec and the government of Quebec initiated the James Bay Project, a monumental hydroelectric-power development on the east coast of James Bay . As the project matured, however, its unique and diverse environmental impacts came under intense scrutiny on both sides of the border. By clicking "Accept cookies" you consent to place cookies when visiting the website. Web760419. Hydroelectric development of Canada's James Bay area is a project started in 1971 that will cost well in excess of $50 billion. The generating plants of this second phase of the project produce about 18.9TWh of power per year, operating at between 60% and 70% of their maximum rated generating capacity. Culture, social change and Cree opposition to the James Bay hydroelectric dam. Seven of the plants are located within eastern Oklahoma with one located just across the border in Texas. In the following years, the decreased demand for labor meant that times were tough for the construction industry in Montreal. Environmental Encyclopedia. Social and Environmental Impacts of the James Bay Hydroelectric Project. Encyclopedia.com. As the project matured, however, its unique and diverse environmental impacts came under intense scrutiny on both sides of the border. Hornig, [e-book] McGill-Queens University Press. However, the project also profoundly disrupted the environment and the Indigenous communities living in the region, the effects of which are still being felt today. These roads, opened between 1995 and 2001, have further facilitated access to hunting areas of the interior and encouraged commercial and social exchanges between the Cree villages and with southern Quebec. [33]:224 Both Bourassa and the Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau were Liberals and federalists, but relations between the two were very strained at best as the French-Canadian nationalist Bourassa was a "soft federalist" who favored devolving the powers of the federal government down to the provinces while the Canadian nationalist Trudeau was a "hard federalist" who favored concentrating power in the hands of the federal government. WebThe Socit d'nergie de la Baie James is the company in charge of building the hydroelectric development known as the James Bay Project in northern Quebec. The James Bay Hydro-electric Project, presently under construction in northern Qubec, is one of the world's largest energy developments. On the other hand, the reduced flow of the Caniapiscau River and the Koksoak River has permanently reduced the risk of natural floods on the lower Caniapiscau during the period of caribou migrations, giving hunters greater access to caribou than ever before. [36], Caribou populations, which have been expanding since the 1950s, have adopted migration routes throughout much of the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula and have thus been increasingly abundant in the James Bay area, the valley of the Caniapiscau, and around George River (Quebec). WebThe James Bay Project ( French: projet de la Baie-James) refers to the construction of a series of hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River in northwestern Quebec, Canada by state-owned utility Hydro-Qubec, and the diversion of neighbouring rivers into the La Grande watershed. "James Bay II." In 1971, Hydro-Qubec and the government of Quebec initiated the James Bay Project, a monumental hydroelectric-power development on the east coast of James Bay . In the late 80s, the re-elected Bourassa announced the development of the second phase of the JBHP: La Grande Baleine [7]. Together, James Bay I and II diverted and dammed more than half a dozen free-flowing rivers and flooded an area one-third the size of Belgium. The area has also been home to the Cree and other Native Indian tribes for centuries. Relations between Quebec City and Ottawa were brought to the breaking point in 1971 when Bourassa vetoed the Victoria charter for patriating the British North America Act to give Canada its own constitution on the grounds that if the British North American Act was going to be changed, then the federal government should cede more powers to the provinces. Hydroelectric power development at James Bay: establishing a frame of reference. The project incurred additional cultural shifts in Cree relations to land and water, by transforming the hydrological landscape from well-known landscapes of everyday life into an untrustworthy and unpredictable force [7: 111]. Proposal and development of alternatives: The Cree and Inuit have pushed for and continue to build on alternative governance structures that acknowledge, respect and uphold indigenous rights to the use and protection of their lands and the safeguarding of their cultural practices. In: J.F. environmental [11][12] However, other projects, such as the Manicouagan-Outardes project on the North Shore and the possibility of building a large power station at Churchill Falls in Labrador proved easier and less expensive and the Crown corporation devoted only minimal resources to the vast potential of northern rivers. A second phase of the project added two more hydroelectric complexes, supplying another 12,000 megawatts of power--the equivalent of more than thirty-five nuclear power plants . James Bay HydroElectric Project From 1981 to 1982, a few years after the flooding of La Grande River, mercury levels in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) increased up to fourfold their pre-flooding levels, while those in northern pike (Esox lucius) rose up to sevenfold during the same period. [Accessed 22nd June 2020]. It has cost upwards of US$20 billion to build[citation needed] and has an installed generating capacity of 15,244 megawatts, at the cost of 7,000 square miles of Cree hunting lands. Tulsa District, US Army Corps of Engineers Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. [48] Additionally, diverting rivers towards the James Bay could cause changes in the geographical pattern of river water discharge into the sea. The Government of Quebec, in order to exploit the water resources of the rivers to the east of James Bay to produce electrical power, approved the James Bay Hydroelectric Power Project, which divides the regions river system into major hydroelectric schemes. A second phase of the project added two more hydroelectric complexes, supplying another 12,000 megawatts of power--the equivalent of more than thirty-five nuclear power plants . These activities have put further strains on the traditional hunting and trapping activities of the Cree in the southern James Bay region, notably the villages of Waskaganish and Nemaska. La Grande has had several environmental and social impacts, some expected and some unforeseen. James Bay hydroelectric project The Canadian Encyclopedia. If we bring them a good hydroelectric project, and James Bay is a good one, they'll soon show where their preferences lie". The Crees resistance to the James Bay Hydro Project has thus catalyzed the establishment of a governance structure that consolidates Cree sovereignty over their lands. [4] The area lies in the zone of discontinuous permafrost, whose depth is significantly reduced by the deep snow cover. WebHydropower Locally. James Bay HydroElectric Project Planning and construction of the James Bay Hydroelectric project began in the early 1970s, when the effect of such projects on the physical and social environment was seldom considered. With unprecedented access to key figures like Cree leader Matthew Coon Come and Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. "[24], However, Bourassa himself[25] and Hydro-Qubec senior management including President Roland Giroux and commissioners Yvon DeGuise and Robert Boyd[25] were firmly behind the large hydroelectric development to be built in northern Quebec. The station can generate 2,779 MW and was commissioned in 1984. ." It would have had a reservoir surface of 3576 square kilometers and 3 generating units [2]. Poverty and social problems remained prevalent in the isolated Cree and Inuit villages of Northern Quebec, even in areas where there were no hydroelectric or mining activities. [6], Between 1950 and 1959, a team led by H. M. Finlayson conducted water surveys of the Nottaway, Broadback and Rupert Riverscollectively known by the abbreviation NBRon behalf of the Shawinigan Water & Power Company, a large investor-owned utility based in Shawinigan, Quebec. inundated (flooded) and forests were incinerated (burned) in an attempt to clear debris. Four major powerhouses are planned to produce 10,000 Mw. [20] Liberal strategists then chose to make the announcement before a partisan crowd assembled at Quebec's Little Coliseum as part of the Liberal party gathering celebrating the first year of Bourassa's term, on April 30, 1971. They were thus more supportive of the second phase of the project, though the intended benefits never materialized as the project was shelved [2]. The James Bay Project also was an impetus for the forging of a collective identity among the Cree of Quebec and for the establishment of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee). James Bay Hydropower Project donating today. In November 1975, the governments of Canada and Quebec signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement with the Cree of the James Bay region and the Inuit of northern Quebec, affirming exclusive hunting and fishing rights to about 170,000km2 of territory and about $250 million in financial compensation in return for the right to develop the hydroelectric resources of Northern Quebec. Hornig, ed. In fact construction of the project began as soon as 1971 and by 1973, the first dam had been built [6]. The Battle for James Bay. The James Bay Hydro Project is a hydroelectric development project in North West Quebec constructed in the 1970s. In turn, whitefish, due to their greater size, consume large numbers of benthic invertebrates, thus incorporating the individual mercury accumulations of each organism and creating their own store of mercury. The Government of Quebec, in order to exploit the water resources of the rivers to the east of James Bay to produce electrical power, approved the James Bay Hydroelectric Power Project, which divides the regions river system into major hydroelectric schemes. The Cree people of Eeyou Istchee were weary of the effects of large scale water diversions on their lands and their hunting, fishing and trapping practices [7]. [21], The announcement quickly generated a public debate on the wisdom to engage the province on such a large-scale project. [15], On December 16, 1969, Liberal Backbencher Member of the National Assembly Robert Bourassa met with the president of Hydro-Qubec, Roland Giroux over lunch at the parliamentary dining room in Quebec City. The James Bay Project (French: projet de la Baie-James) refers to the construction of a series of hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River in northwestern Quebec, Canada by state-owned utility Hydro-Qubec, and the diversion of neighbouring rivers into the La Grande watershed. About 30,000 caribou are killed each year by Inuit, Cree and American and European hunters. The project would supply electricity to millions of people, but would also submerge entire Cree communities and disrupt their fishing and hunting sources. The Canadian Encyclopedia is a project of Historica Canada, a non-profit, nonpartisan Under the JBNQA, the Cree and Inuit would receive CAD$225 million over two decades and special hunting and fishing rights in exchange for surrendering their lands to the development of the JBHP [1]. The station can generate 2,779 MW and was commissioned in 1984. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Rather, the Cree wanted to establish that their autonomy, environment and cultural continuity needed to be acknowledged, respected and accounted for in the decision-making process [7]. [click to view], [11] Hydro-Quebec, n.d. Their resistance strategy included court battles and extensive lobbying, specifically in the northeast of the US, where some of the electricity would be sold [1, 2], as well as forging alliances with international ENGOs including Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth [2, 7]. They built a series of reservoirs, dams and dikes on La Grande that generated 10,300 megawatts of power for homes and businesses in Quebec, New York, and New England. Precipitations are significantly lower than the annual average of 1,050mm (41in) recorded in Montreal. It was established in December 1971 by the Socit de dveloppement de la Baie James (SDBJ), a Crown corporation of the province of Quebec In 1971, Hydro-Qubec and the government of Quebec initiated the James Bay Project, a monumental hydroelectric-power development on the east coast of James Bay. In 2017, the Cree Governance Agreement, in conjunction with the Cree Constitution, established the foundation for the Cree Nation, which soon proposed and passed its own bills, consolidating Cree political authority within Quebec and Canada [3]. Hydro-Qubec Visit the official website of Hydro-Qubec. Cree opposition to the JBHP was not premised on an anti-developmentalist stance [7]. It is home to roughly 100 species of birds, twenty species of fish and dozens of mammals, including muskrat, lynx, black bear, red fox, and the world's largest herd of caribou. La Grande Baleine, which has not been constructed because of mounting social resistance and lagging demand, would have produced an additional 3000 MW [2]. James Bay WebThe James Bay Project ( French: projet de la Baie-James) refers to the construction of a series of hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River in northwestern Quebec, Canada by state-owned utility Hydro-Qubec, and the diversion of neighbouring rivers into the La Grande watershed. A tiered spillway, three times the height of Niagara Falls, The Cree Nation Governments first bill, passed in 2019, protects, promotes and supports the Cree language [3]. "[32] Desjardins was called before the Cliche commission several times starting in November 1974, where it was established that he was closely associated with the Montreal Mafia, and engaged in thuggish practices as president of the Conseil des mtiers de la construction union. They believed the government of Quebec was acting in violation of treaties and committing unlawful expropriation and destruction of traditional hunting and trapping lands. At the time Giroux, a financier, argued that large international investors "are still wary about nuclear energy. The La Grande-4 hydroelectric generating station on the La Grande River is part of Hydro-Quebecs James Bay Project. The Government of Quebec, in order to exploit the water resources of the rivers to the east of James Bay to produce electrical power, approved the James Bay Hydroelectric Power Project, which divides the regions river system into major hydroelectric schemes. James Bay Hydro Project 72% of the reservoir surface is newly flooded land and the project has implied changes to a 176000 square kilometer land surface [2]. Their resistance played out in court battles with the government, as well as lobbying efforts south of the Canadian border, given Thus when the first phase of the project was originally announced, the Indigenous communities of the affected lands had not been informed or consulted [1]. Social and Environmental Impacts of the James Bay Hydroelectric Project. The first and second phases, respectively named La Grande (the big one) and La Grande Baleine (the big whale), impacted the Inuit and the Cree differently, and thus incurred distinct forms and degrees of resistance from these two communities [2, 4, 5]. Constitution of the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee (2017)[click to view], Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada (2017)[click to view], James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975) - Agreement signed between the Grand Council of the Cree (of Quebec), the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, the provincial government of Quebec, the federal government of Canada, and Hydro-Quebec. James Bay Hydroelectric development of Canada's James Bay area is a project started in 1971 that will cost well in excess of $50 billion. [33]:224 However, Bourassa agreed to negotiate with the First Nations as the federal government announced it was willing to take the matter to the Supreme Court. Hydro-Electric Project [30] In the 1973 election, after the Fdration des travailleurs et travailleuses du Qubec (FTQ) union had donated generously to the Parti libral du Qubec, Bourassa announced that only companies employing workers from the FTQ-affiliated Conseil des mtiers de la construction headed by Andr "Dd" Desjardins would work on the James Bay project. [46][47], Other changes in the delicate balance of the James Bay ecosystem can be illustrated through the animal migration patterns, salmon spawning, and destruction of wildlife habitats. [20], Bourassa introduced his plan to the provincial cabinet in March 1971 and recommended hiring the US engineering firm Bechtel to oversee the construction. Hudson River [22] Several Parti Qubcois spokesmen, including energy critic Guy Joron[23] and economic adviser Jacques Parizeau[24] voiced their opposition to the Bourassa scheme. [click to view], [9] Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) and Cree Nation Government, 2020b. flow into Rupert Bay by 18 per cent. In 1971, Hydro-Qubec and the government of Quebec initiated the James Bay Project, a monumental hydroelectric-power development on the east coast of James Bay . . The construction of generating stations (Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle) The dispute culminated in 1975 with the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. Canada The deal guarantees the Cree jobs with the hydroelectric authority and gives them more control over logging and other areas of their economy. The James Bay is an important site for the construction of several large hydroelectric projects. It has been built since 1974 by James Bay Energy (SDBJ) for Hydro-Qubec. [41] The effect is further exacerbated by humans consuming this built up store of mercury. Because of the simultaneous mercury contamination in James Bay from other activities in the area, including paper milling, the direct effect of the project on mercury levels has been difficult to ascertain. [18], For Bourassa the development of James Bay project addressed two of his priorities. The period of construction of the first phase of the project covered about 14 years. The agreement provided for planned financial compensation of the Cree of Eeyou Istchee and some communities of the Inuit of Nunavik in exchange for their consent on the construction of the James Bay Hydro Project. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content.