In response to the forced passage of Bill 93 by the Quebec government, the City of Blainville and the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) are joining forces to launch a legal challenge. The two entities will appear before the Quebec Superior Court on Monday, seeking an urgent suspension of the law, which compels the City of Blainville to sell protected land for industrial use.
The dispute centers on a section of the Grande Tourbière de Blainville, a fragile peat bog recognized for its ecological value. Stablex, a hazardous waste management company and Canadian subsidiary of U.S.-based Republic Services, has requested use of the site to establish a new waste disposal cell. After months of conflict, the provincial government intervened by enacting Bill 93 under closure, a rare legislative procedure that bypasses further debate.
Stablex has repeatedly warned that if it is unable to expand by 2027, it will cease service operations—services that include processing hazardous waste from across Canada and the United States. Those warnings appear to have weighed heavily on the provincial government, prompting it to bypass municipal authority in favor of a solution that accommodates the company.
Both the City of Blainville and the CMM view the law as a direct attack on municipal autonomy and environmental protection. Blainville’s administration had opposed the use of the land from the outset, citing the ecological importance of the peat bog and a commitment made to its residents to safeguard the area. The city also maintains that the population’s strong opposition to the project was ignored, and the adoption of the law without proper parliamentary procedure left them with no choice but to turn to the courts.
The CMM, whose land-use framework governs much of Greater Montreal, is equally alarmed. Officials argue that the law undermines existing environmental protections, including a control bylaw passed in 2022 and formally approved by the Quebec government. That regulation, still in force, was specifically designed to shield unique ecosystems like the Blainville peat bog from industrial development.
The first step of the legal challenge will be to obtain an immediate stay, preventing any development activity from beginning on the site. The two parties argue that if Stablex begins work before April 15—when federal regulations to protect migratory birds take effect—irreversible environmental harm could occur. There is concern that Stablex may try to accelerate the destruction of natural habitats before that deadline, rendering future protections meaningless.
In addition to seeking an injunction, the case will challenge key sections of the law itself. Article 11, which grants Stablex sweeping immunity to act without regard for existing laws or municipal rules, is a particular point of contention. The CMM and Blainville argue that this immunity allows the company to bypass normal oversight mechanisms and start work immediately, creating an urgent need for judicial intervention.
The legal filing also targets Article 7, which overrides all municipal planning and zoning rules. The CMM asserts that this directly invalidates its own 2022 regulation, which was vetted and approved by the province because of its alignment with Quebec’s planning priorities. The organization stresses that this framework must be respected, and that upending it for a single private company sets a dangerous precedent.
Just last week, the City of Blainville and the CMM had offered the government a compromise. They proposed amending the existing regulation to allow Stablex to use 7.2 hectares of wetland—enough to maintain operations for 24 years—while preserving the rest of the peat bog. This alternative would have balanced industrial needs with environmental protection, but the government rejected it outright.
Blainville and the CMM now contend that the government’s decision to push through Bill 93 not only undermines their efforts but favors private interests over public good. They argue that the legislation disregards environmental science, local governance, and democratic consultation.
As the case heads to court, it raises fundamental questions about the province’s commitment to environmental stewardship, its relationship with municipalities, and the growing tension between economic expediency and ecological responsibility. The outcome could reshape how Quebec handles land use, governance, and industrial influence for years to come.
