CHARLOTTETOWN — Justin Trudeau says his government is concerned with plans by a pulp mill in northern Nova Scotia to dump treated effluent into the Northumberland Strait, but the prime minister says there are no plans for a federal environmental assessment because Nova Scotia has that responsibility.
Trudeau was asked about the Northern Pulp project today during a visit to Prince Edward Island, where Premier Wade MacLauchlan has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the project.
The prime minister says the project is a provincial issue, but he says the federal government will look for ways to support Nova Scotia.
Last month, Northern Pulp formally registered the project with Nova Scotia’s Environment Department.
According to the department, the project includes a new effluent treatment facility and a new 15.5-kilometre-long pipeline that will carry treated wastewater to the Northumberland Strait.
Provincial Environment Minister Margaret Miller is to decide whether the project can be granted conditional environmental assessment approval by March 29.