By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation Resistance continues to mount against Quebec’s proposed forestry reforms in Bill 97. The latest in a series of demonstrations saw 100 protesters march from Montreal’s Olympic Stadium June 22. Tabled in April by Natural Resources Minister Maïté Blanchette Vézina, the legislation would divide forests into three categories: conservation zones, multi-purpose zones balancing conservation and development, and intensive logging zones. By 2028, Vezina suggested, at least 30% of Quebec’s forests would be used exclusively by industry. While forestry corporations support it, Bill 97 is opposed by Indigenous leaders, environmental groups, unions and forestry researchers. Unions affiliated with the CSN say empowering industry to manage intensive forestry zones would rapidly deplete the resource, threatening long-term employment. Professor Christian Messier, an expert on forest…
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