Quebec premier says Horne Smelter will not close

Fonderie Horne, a foundry owned by Glencore, is shown in last October in Rouyn-Noranda, Que. in an October 29, 2022 photo. (Stephane Blais/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Premier François Legault has given assurances that the multinational Glencore is not planning to close the Horne Smelter in Rouyn-Noranda and the CCR refinery in Montreal East, as reported by the Reuters news agency.

Based on two sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported on Monday morning that the Anglo-Swiss multinational plans to close both facilities, but that no date has yet been set for the shutdown.

In an exchange with The Canadian Press, however, the premier’s office said it wants to “reassure the people of Abitibi-Témiscamingue” by relaying Legault’s response: “The Horne Smelter is not about to close its doors” and “the company itself has denied the reports and reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its operations in Quebec,” said the premier, who is also the minister responsible for the region.

“Our MNA Daniel Bernard and my team are in contact with the management of the smelter and the City of Rouyn-Noranda. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. Our goal remains to protect the jobs and health of the people in the region,” he added.

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Shortly before the premier’s response, Glencore Canada was quick to refute the information first reported by Reuters: “Glencore is not currently considering closing the Horne Smelter or the CCR refinery.”

In a statement issued by its media relations director, Fabrice de Dongo, the company assured that it is continuing to implement its emissions reduction plan “by advancing studies and other work.”

“We are also working closely with all stakeholders to chart a path forward to preserve the current smelting operations at the Horne Smelter in Canada,” the spokesperson wrote. “This includes a clear and predictable regulatory framework necessary to secure appropriate investments.”

Environmental issues and the huge sums needed to modernize the site would explain Glencore’s decision to close the Horne Smelter, according to sources who spoke to Reuters.

Glencore Canada’s media relations director acknowledged that smelters “face enormous pressures around the world, both financially and operationally, as well as in terms of regulations.”

However, he pointed out that the Horne Smelter and CCR refinery “play an important role in supplying essential raw materials to the North American and foreign markets.”

The Horne Smelter produces 210,000 tonnes of copper and precious metals annually.

Emissions targets

The smelter has been at the centre of several controversies in recent years, particularly due to its contaminant emissions.

It significantly exceeds the annual standard for arsenic emissions, which is three nanograms (ng) per cubic metre (m3), but benefits from special agreements with the Quebec government.

Under the most recent ministerial authorization granted by Quebec in 2023, the smelter was required to meet a target of 45 ng/m3 in 2024 and will have to comply with a target of 15 ng/m3 from 2027 onwards.

According to the company’s data, the concentration of arsenic emitted into the air in 2024 would have reached an average of 39.1 ng/m3, down from 73 ng/m3 in 2022.

Impossible to meet standards, according to the company

In an interview with La Presse last July, Glencore’s North American copper director, Vincent Plante, said that the company would not be able to meet the 3 ng/m3 standard and that it considered this target “technically impossible” to achieve.

The Canadian Press asked both the offices of the Premier and Environment Minister Bernard Drainville whether the government still intends to impose a target of 3 ng per m3 on Glencore for arsenic emissions, but did not receive a response by time of publication.

Earlier this fall, the Superior Court authorized a class action lawsuit against the Horne Smelter and the Quebec government.

The plaintiffs claim to have suffered various types of damage caused by the company’s contaminant emissions.

The company is also a major employer in the region, making the environmental issues a complex one in Rouyn-Noranda.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 3, 2025.