Châteauguay candidate pledges new wastewater plant and inquiry

Marianne Pharand-Roy, the Québec solidaire candidate for Châteauguay, has pledged to oversee the implementation of a new wastewater treatment plant at the Mercier lagoons during her first mandate.

Pharand-Roy is calling for the removal of existing installations and the release of contamination data currently held by the government, the Ministry of the Environment, and Public Health. She is also demanding health assessments for residents exposed to toxic substances in the soil. If elected, she intends to reopen a legal case involving the provincial government and a contractor regarding discharges authorized in the 1960s, a matter that has been suspended since 2007. Additionally, she plans to trigger a public inquiry into the matter.

The estimated cost for potable water production has risen from $9 million in 2000 to $16 million projected for 2026. Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks intends to issue a call for tenders for the project's plans and specifications by December.