Nemaska Lithium project: Fréchette won’t say if she knew about unfavourable recommendation

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette participates in Question Period at the National Assembly on May 6, 2026. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette refused to say on Wednesday whether or not she knew that the Ministry of Natural Resources had issued an unfavourable recommendation regarding a government investment in Rio Tinto’s Nemaska Lithium project.

The premier was pressed on the issue by the official opposition during Question Period, as Rio Tinto put the $4 billion plant and mine project on hold.

When she was Economy Minister, Fréchette had authorized funding tranches of $400 million and $275 million.

But in a report released last week, the Commissioner for Sustainable Development noted that the Ministry of Natural Resources had raised “significant risks likely to have considerable impacts.”

For his part, Finance Minister Eric Girard assured that the government’s investment in the project has retained its value of $1.1 billion.

The day before, he had indicated that he was not aware of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ unfavourable opinion, adding that he had relied on a summary to authorize the investment, based on a favourable recommendation from his own ministry.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 13, 2026.