Quebec Premier Francois Legault meets with NL Premier John Hogan, August 2025 (VOCM News)
Quebec Premier Francois Legault and Hydro Quebec CEO Claudine Bouchard are in the province meeting with officials from the provincial government and NL Hydro.
The two provinces are in the process of finalizing a deal on the expansion of hydro development in Labrador and the renegotiation and extension of the Upper Churchill contract to 2075.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault and Hydro Quebec CEO Claudine Bouchard (VOCM News)
Critical minerals also up for discussion
Premier Legault says they’re also discussing the development of critical minerals.
“We know that many of the critical minerals come from China,” Legault told reporters at Confederation Building, “and many countries, including in Europe and the United States..would like to be more independent from China.” Legault admitted, “I didn’t plan to talk about it, but (Prime Minister) Mark Carney talked about it this morning in Germany.”
The federal government has signed an agreement with Germany for the export of rare earth minerals from the Labrador Trough which runs through Quebec and Labrador.
Legault calls it a “huge opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec to invest with the federal government. They already invested $165 million and they want to do more, and we want them to do more to help us create good, well-paying jobs in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.”