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The Quebec government announced it is continuing the expansion of the province’s wind energy sector and investing up to $4.5 billion in a wind power project in the Lower St. Lawrence region.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The project, dubbed Wetsok, meaning \u201cin the direction of the wind\u201d\u00a0in the Wolastoqey language, will see wind turbines built between the Montmagny regional municipality and T\u00e9miscouata, Que.<\/p>\n
Making the announcement in Cacouna, Que., on Tuesday, Premier Fran\u00e7ois Legault says the project is a collaboration between Hydro-Qu\u00e9bec and the Alliance de l’\u00e9nergie Est \u2014 209 communities and territories, including Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Grand Chief Jacques Tremblay of the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation says this is\u00a0an opportunity for his nation to be treated as an equal partner in the energy sector and to ensure the economic benefits are directly felt by its members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This partnership is part of the strategy of the government and Hydro-Qu\u00e9bec to develop more than 10,000 megawatts\u00a0of new wind power capacity in collaboration with First Nations and the municipalities.<\/p>\n
Legault says among other projects, this one will help diversify the revenue of communities and municipalities and create jobs, which he claims will help those currently facing layoffs in the region as a result of U.S. tariffs, especially in forestry. <\/p>\n