QUÉBEC — The Quebec government is increasing fines tenfold for companies that violate certain provisions of the province’s Environmental Quality Act. A company that fails to respect a ministerial authorization will now be fined at least $75,000, up from $7,500. The minimum fine for releasing a contaminant into the environment is increasing from $30,000 to $300,000, while companies that carry out activities without ministerial authorization will be fined at least $150,000. The new measure specifically targets the battery industry and oil refineries, as well as several sectors subject to the province’s industrial discharge reduction program. The province says those include pulp and paper, mining, aluminum smelters, foundries, cement plants, steel manufacturing, lime production, and the manufacturing of chemical fertilizers, explosives, tires, and glass. The environment department says the new fines better reflect the potential environmental harm of industrial activities that are deemed higher-risk. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2026. Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press
