Hydro-Québec will no longer need owner’s permission to cut down trees, enter properties
Posted June 11, 2024 12:40 pm.
Last Updated June 11, 2024 7:12 pm.
The CAQ government will allow Hydro-Québec to work on private property without needing permission from the owners.
The bill was tabled last week by Quebec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy Pierre Fitzgibbon – to give Hydro more power.
It specifies that Hydro-Québec employees can “enter a property for certain purposes, such as carrying out preparatory work or clearing the buildings of all vegetation, poles and wires.”
Hydro-Québec indicated that this was a problem because crew members couldn’t cut branches or trees that posed a risk due to a customer’s refusal to access their property.
The said they encountered this situation in several municipalities in Estrie earlier this year.
Hydro-Québec had to obtain authorization from property owners to cut down trees on their land to fix outage problems, but several owners were non-compliant.
The bill also specifies that Hydro employees can access private property to carry out inventory, surveys, or other preparatory work, and to install poles and wires.
If there are damages during these interventions, Hydro must repair them.
