The Court authorizes broad participation of organizations in the CQDE’s challenge to the projects of “national interest” Act (C-5)

PRESS RELEASE

Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, June 19, 2026 – In a decision issued this Friday, the Court has authorized the vast majority of organizations that applied to intervene as friends of the court in the legal challenge brought by the Quebec Environmental Law Centre (CQDE) against the federal Act respecting national interest projects (C-5). The Court thus allows nine organizations to present their perspectives before the courts.

This decision marks an important milestone in this case, recognizing the significance and diversity of the issues raised by this challenge.

“The fact that the Court has granted the majority of our intervention requests reflects the seriousness of the questions raised by C-5 and the need to fully examine its legality,” stated the 11 organizations.

The Association of Biologists of Quebec, Amnesty International Canada (Francophone Section), Équiterre, Greenpeace Canada, the Trottier Energy Institute, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Québec, the Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en énergie (ROEÉ), and SNAP Québec, having been granted leave to intervene, will be able to assist the Court by shedding light on the consequences of this legislation for the environment, science, and human rights.

However, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and the David Suzuki Foundation, two organizations seeking to raise concerns about the law’s impacts on public health and the barriers it creates to public participation, were not granted leave to intervene at this stage.

“The health of people and communities depends on the health of their environment, which Bill C-5 puts at risk. We therefore regret that the public health implications of this law will not be heard directly by the Court. But these concerns are very real, and we will continue to raise them through public debate and collective action beyond the courtroom.” added CAPE and the David Suzuki Foundation.

The organizations emphasize that this collective mobilization reflects the scale of concerns raised by C-5 across the country, and that a “strong Canada” necessarily depends on respect for science, democratic principles, human rights, the health of both the population and ecosystems, as well as the rigorous application of our environmental laws.

The organizations granted leave to intervene will present their arguments before the Court in order to share their concerns and support the CQDE’s legal challenge.

– 30 x 30 –

SNAP Québec is working to achieve the goal of protecting 30% of the province’s land area by 2030 (30×30)

Signatory organizations

Amnesty International Canada (Francophone Section)
Association des biologistes du Québec (ABQ)
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
David Suzuki Foundation
Équiterre
Greenpeace Canada
Institut de l’énergie Trottier (IÉT)
MiningWatch Canada
Nature Québec
SNAP Québec
Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en énergie (ROEÉ)

Additional Information

For more information on the arguments presented by the organizations, please refer to the press release entitled “The opposition is growing: eleven organizations seek to intervene in the CQDE’s lawsuit against C-5”, dated April 27, 2026.

Media Contacts

Lucie Bédet, Communications Officer, Nature Québec
418 455-8996, lucie.bedet@naturequebec.org

Josée Marie Robitaille, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Amnesty International Canada (Francophone Section), jmrobitaille@amnistie.ca

Jamie Kneen, National Program Co-lead, MiningWatch Canada,
613 761-2273, jamie@miningwatch.ca

Louis Couillard, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Canada
514 531-6740, louis.couillard@greenpeace.org

Marion Depoisier, Communications Coordinator, SNAP Québec
819 968-4321, marion@snapquebec.org

Normand Mousseau, Scientific Director, Institut de l’Énergie Trottier,
514 814-6485, normand.mousseau@umontreal.ca

Loujain Kurdi, Communications Manager, Association canadienne des médecins pour l’environnement,
647 952-4525, media@cape.ca

Nicolas Zorn, Media Relations Advisor, Équiterre
514 605-2000, media@equiterre.org

Bernice Chabot-Giguère, directrice générale, Association des biologistes du Québec,
514 279-7115, direction@abq.qc.ca