Ban on wood heating in Quebec: Mayor Marchand admits he should have communicated better

At the heart of the turmoil caused by a temporary ban on the use of wood heating appliances in Quebec, Bruno Marchand acknowledged that the decision should have been explained better, giving as an example the impact of fireplace surrounds.

• Read also: 'It's rubbish': angry wood stove owners; Public Health advocates for Quebec City

• Read also: The use of stoves and heaters is banned from Wednesday in Quebec

The city issued a notice banning the use of wood stoves and fireplaces — even approved appliances — effective Wednesday afternoon until further notice.

“Should we communicate better? Yes. Should we explain it better and say why? Yes and yes. It's the first time we've done it, you have to give yourself the right to make mistakes,” Bruno Marchand told Gravel on the comeback. to the airwaves of station BLVD 102.1.

“One of the things we did not do was say it is a temporary ban and that we will re-evaluate it. The goal is to lift it as quickly as possible,” he added.

The elected official explained that the decision was made for the sake of human health.

“People are skeptical,” he continued. They say that by putting logs in the stove, I'm not going to pollute more than one plant. If you're alone in the woods, the effect won't be there. But in the city, it's a build-up of one with the other.”

Worse than the Holocaust

Bruno Marchand then gave an example of the effect of certain devices.

“Fourteen fireplaces are lit for five hours twice a week, five months a year, and pollute as many fine particles as incinerators during the year. There are quite a few more than that (14) in Quebec. It's hard to swallow. But that's why Champigny is one of the most polluted neighborhoods and this has an impact on people's health.

It was also the surveys in this neighborhood that sounded the alarm.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) at the Champigny station, where there is the most pollution recorded in Quebec, conditions were yellow. We expected our three midday stations to be yellow and that's what happened. Why do we do that? “We try not to signal red, and that's where it becomes dangerous for people's health,” Mr. Marchand said.

“We decided not to go into the red by removing the main contributor, the lights. In January, we were on the verge of doing that, and eventually there was an episode of smog that had an impact.

in the head

According to the Quebec mayor, her way of doing things opens a new path for the country.

“This rule has been in place since 2021, before we arrived. However, it was implemented during periods of smog. We told people not to do that anymore. We are innovative in Canada in developing it ahead of time for people's health.”

Emphasizing that the city has not yet reached the ticketing stage, Mayor Marchand stressed that the goal was not to suggest that its citizens would no longer have the right to a wood-burning heater.

“There are no certified heaters. We give up to about $1,000 to people who want to change their home to a certified appliance. They emit much fewer particles. There is no ban on installing a certified heater.”

He then pointed out that if the installation of fireplace surrounds is now prohibited, these are the same devices that will no longer be allowed to be used from 2030.

“We work together, gang. As a community, we care about the health of our world (…) We will work to improve and explain to people that we can all have an impact on everyone's health,” concluded Bruno Marchand.