Here’s What Hydro-Québec Fought to Hide From the Newfoundland and Labrador Government
Hydro-Québec fought to hide parts of letters from the 1960s showing what it offered to lure a French aluminum company to the province, including its internal comments about an energy deal with Newfoundland and Labrador. In a 2024 fight in front of Quebec’s access-to-information commission, the utility claimed the correspondence could jeopardize its present-day energy negotiations with Newfoundland and Labrador about Churchill Falls. Hydro-Québec lost the battle and released the information—including to The Canadian Press last month. The letters reveal internal strategies and discussions as Quebec officials tried to persuade Péchiney, an aluminum company, to build a smelter in Sept-Îles, Que., on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River. At the time, the company was also considering building in the United States....
Here’s What Hydro-Québec Fought to Hide From the Newfoundland and Labrador Government Hydro-Québec attempted to conceal documents from the 1960s detailing offers made to attract a French aluminum company and internal discussions regarding an energy deal with Newfoundland and Labrador. The utility argued these letters could harm current negotiations with Newfoundland and Labrador over Churchill Falls. After losing a legal challenge, Hydro-Québec was compelled to release the correspondence, which outlines strategies used to persuade the company Péchiney to establish a smelter in Sept-Îles, Quebec.
- Hydro-Québec fought to keep 1960s letters hidden, which contained information about offers to a French aluminum company and comments on an energy deal with Newfoundland and Labrador.
- The utility claimed the documents could jeopardize current energy negotiations with Newfoundland and Labrador concerning Churchill Falls.
- In 2024, Hydro-Québec lost a battle at Quebec’s access-to-information commission and was forced to release the information.
- The released letters reveal internal strategies and discussions from the time when Quebec officials were trying to convince Péchiney to build a smelter in Sept-Îles.
- Péchiney was also considering building a smelter in the United States at that time.
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