$6.5-billion Romaine project; Letter of intent signed; an agreement possible 'within days,' source says
A Quebec Innu community is closing in on a deal with Hydro-Quebec that would clear the last legal hurdle for one of the largest infrastructure works in Canada, the $6.5-billion hydroelectric Romaine project.
The Innu of Uashat Mani-Utenam, on Quebec's North Shore, signed a letter of agreement with the utility and the Quebec government earlier this week that is guiding the parties in negotiating an agreement in principle.
A source close to the negotiations said yesterday a deal could be reached "within days."
The source added several meetings in the past weeks eased the relationship between the Innu and the government and that led Quebec Premier Jean Charest to appoint a special negotiator to the file.
"A deal would be good for everyone," the source said, adding the agreement could bring a fallout of "hundreds of million of dollars" for the Innu community.
In a brief statement, the Innu of Uashat stressed they hope to ink a final agreement "by the end of March" with Hydro-Quebec and the province.
Last June, the Innu filed a Quebec Superior Court motion for an injunction to halt construction of four dams along the Romaine River near Sept Iles, about 600 kilo-metres northeast of Quebec City.
The major project is set to produce 1,550 megawatts of power, beginning in 2020.
Hydro-Quebec declined to discuss the negotiations yesterday, but noted its goal is to reach an agreement that will see the Innu benefit from the project during and after the construction.
The province-owned utility has already reached agreements with four other Innu communities impacted by the Romaine project.
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