Montreal's plan to dump eight billion litres of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River has been put on hold by the federal government.
Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Denis Lebel made the announcement on behalf of the environment minister Wednesday afternoon. He said Leona Aglukkaq issued an interim order under the Fisheries Act to suspend the project, pending an independent scientific review.
"The St. Lawrence River is one of Canada's most important waterways, acting as a home to several species of whales and fish while providing millions of Canadians their drinking water," Lebel told reporters, reading from a statement provided by the environment ministry.
He said based on limited information, Environment Canada could not determine whether the untreated wastewater will be "acutely toxic" for the St. Lawrence.
"That said, the city has indicated that there is a particular urgency attached to this project and, according to (Montreal's) evaluation, this is the only viable option available to them."
The week-long purge was set to begin on Sunday.
'Irresponsible and negligent'
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre has been a vocal supporter of the plan, saying it is a necessary step in a larger proposal to move a snow chute located underneath the downtown Bonaventure Expressway. The city is demolishing the expressway and converting it into an urban boulevard.
Following Wednesday's announcement, Coderre said Ottawa was "irresponsible and negligent" to have ordered a halt to the project.
"Why is Montreal living this injustice?" Coderre asked, adding the decision puts the city's water-treatment infrastructure in jeopardy.
Earlier this week, Environment Canada said further evaluation is needed before it can formally approve or reject the plan, as it was concerned about the "potential for adverse impact on aquatic life."
But according to Coderre, the plan is safe and oxygen in the water will help dissolve the bacteria. He said city officials have weighed other options, but the planned dump was the best option available in terms of time and cost.
Quebec's environmental department has already signed off on the plan, but the federal government became hesitant to OK it.
Coderre later accused the Conservatives of playing "cheap" politics during an election campaign after the party called on Montreal to suspend the work earlier this month.
The controversial plan also caught the attention of celebrity environmental activist Erin Brockovich, who added her voice to the growing public outcry over the dump in a Facebook post.
She described the plan as "ridiculous and shameful."
Coderre previously said it would cost at least $1 billion to divert the raw sewage and that the same type of work, and sewage dump, was done in 2003 and 2005 without issue.
On Tuesday, a petition signed by 90,000 people opposed to the project was presented to Coderre at a city council meeting.
With files from The Canadian Press
