Government of Canada provides early decision on the Matane Port Facilities Expansion Project in Quebec
News release
March 5, 2026 — Ottawa, Ontario — Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) completed an assessment of the Matane Port Facilities Expansion Project, in Quebec, and determined that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through other means.
To arrive at its section 16 decision under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), IAAC engaged other jurisdictions, federal experts, stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous Peoples to review the project description and identify potential effects within federal jurisdiction and frameworks to address these potential effects.
IAAC is of the view that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through existing federal and provincial laws and regulations. These include but are not limited to the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and the Safe Food for Canadians Act, as well as Quebec's Environment Quality Act, the Act respecting threatened or vulnerable species, the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife and the Act respecting the conservation of wetlands and bodies of water.
As a result, the federal impact assessment process is now complete. As a next step, Société portuaire du Bas-Saint-Laurent et de la Gaspésie (the proponent) will be required to seek any necessary federal and provincial authorizations and permits for the project.
The documents and list of factors considered can be found in IAAC's Notice of Early Decision with Reasons.
Quick facts
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Société portuaire du Bas-Saint-Laurent et de la Gaspésie is proposing the expansion of the port facilities in Matane, Quebec. As proposed, the project would include the construction of a new commercial wharf, the reconstruction and extension of the existing commercial wharf, dredging activities, and the addition of a storage area. The project would add two new terminals, including one designed to handle ships larger than 25 000 tons deadweight.
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The review process from start to finish took 59 days to complete.
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IAAC facilitates the sustainable development of major projects subject to the IAA through open and efficient assessments. These assessments identify ways to ensure the environment and Indigenous Rights are protected as projects get built.
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Decisions like these ensure that Canada's impact assessment process is efficient by determining at an early stage whether further assessment under the IAA is required.
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Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
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Document reference number: 24