Stages in the consideration of Bill 491
Chamber
quebec
Stage
Introduced
This Quebec bill would require infrastructure projects in the provincial plan to undergo a climate impact assessment before approval.
Key Changes
- Amends the Public Infrastructure Act to add a climate evaluation requirement
- Requires projects in the Québec Infrastructure Plan to pass a 'climate test' before proceeding
- Introduces a formal climate impact assessment step into Quebec's public infrastructure planning process
- Applies to all projects included in the provincial infrastructure plan, potentially covering a wide range of public works
Gotchas
- The bill does not specify in the available text exactly what criteria or methodology would define a 'climate test,' leaving implementation details unclear
- As a private member's bill introduced by an opposition MNA, it faces a lower likelihood of passage without government support
- The bill has been reinstated across two legislative sessions, suggesting it has not yet gained enough support to advance but sponsors continue to pursue it
- Adding a climate test could slow down infrastructure approvals, which may be seen as a trade-off between environmental accountability and project timelines
- The scope could be very broad, potentially affecting hundreds of projects across health, education, transportation, and other sectors listed in the QIP
Who's Affected
- Quebec provincial government ministries and agencies responsible for infrastructure
- Municipalities and public bodies whose projects appear in the Québec Infrastructure Plan
- Construction and engineering industries working on provincially funded projects
- Environmental and climate advocacy groups
- Quebec taxpayers and communities affected by infrastructure decisions
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill does not specify in the available text exactly what criteria or methodology would define a 'climate test,' leaving implementation details unclear
- As a private member's bill introduced by an opposition MNA, it faces a lower likelihood of passage without government support
- The bill has been reinstated across two legislative sessions, suggesting it has not yet gained enough support to advance but sponsors continue to pursue it
- Adding a climate test could slow down infrastructure approvals, which may be seen as a trade-off between environmental accountability and project timelines
- The scope could be very broad, potentially affecting hundreds of projects across health, education, transportation, and other sectors listed in the QIP
Summary
Bill 491 is a private member's bill introduced by MNA Etienne Grandmont (Taschereau) in the Quebec National Assembly. It proposes to amend Quebec's Public Infrastructure Act to require that projects listed in the Québec Infrastructure Plan (QIP) be subjected to a 'climate test' — meaning they would need to be evaluated for their climate impacts before moving forward. The Québec Infrastructure Plan is the government's multi-year spending plan for public infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, and transit. By adding a climate test requirement, the bill aims to ensure that major public spending decisions take into account greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience. The bill was first introduced in September 2023 during the 43rd Legislature's 1st Session and was reinstated in the 2nd Session in October 2025, meaning it has continued through multiple legislative periods without yet receiving royal assent.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses