The James Bay territory is defined as the southern portion of the Nord-du-Québec administrative region (Region 10) and follows the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Baie-James (MBJ). The Jamesian population mainly includes the residents of the four towns encompassed within the MBJ, i.e., Chapais, Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quévillon and Matagami, as well as the villages of Radisson, Valcanton and Villebois, and the hamlets of Miquelon and Desmaraisville.

On January 28, 2005, Hydro-Québec signed a partnership agreement with the Municipality of Baie-James concerning the project. Under the agreement, Hydro-Québec will contribute nearly $300 million over 50 years to support social, environmental and economic projects in the MBJ. The Jamesian community will also benefit from a $10 million development fund, to be disbursed over 5 years for development projects that will be designed and built by the municipality itself.

Signature of the partnership agreement with the MBJ on January 28, 2005 Standing, left to right, are Sam Hamad, then Minister of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Parks, and Jean Charest, Premier of Québec. Seated are Thierry Vandal, then President of Hydro-Québec Production, and Gérald Lemoyne, Mayor of the Municipality of Baie-James.

Several information and discussion panels were held at various stages in the draft-design phase and included discussion on specific topics.

Information and discussion panels are Hydro-Québec’s preferred means of consulting the public and promoting public participation. Jamesian land users were invited to participate in six IDPs held in Chibougamau through their representatives: municipal and regional elected officials, key players in the economic, recreation and tourism and environmental sectors, and members of government bodies in the James Bay region. The panels enabled Hydro-Québec to record the public’s concerns throughout project development. The IDPs also served as a means of circulating the results of the field surveys conducted at each major draft-design stage. The panel format proved to be flexible, efficient, and well-suited to the participants’ day-to-day issues.

As is the case for all Hydro-Québec hydroelectric development projects, regional economic spinoffs associated with contracts, goods and services are of major concern to the host region.

Hydro-Québec has committed to renewing the incentive measures implemented for the Eastmain-1 project and adapting them to the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project. As part of the concerted effort to maximize regional economic spinoffs from Eastmain-1 project, the Nord-du-Québec region set up ComaxNORD with a mandate to support the economy and coordinate the efforts of the region’s key players, as well as Hydro Québec and SEBJ.