Québec city, Thursday, June 16, 2016– Quebec Oil and Gas Association (QOGA) is pleased to announce that the Quebec government, for the first time, gave a certificate of authorization for fracking yesterday. The certificate allows for three hydraulic fracking procedures on Anticosti Island. The project of Hydrocarbures Anticosti is the first oil and gas project to go through this complete environmental approval process in Quebec. Our association is very satisfied that it was successful.

Quebec Oil and Gas Association Chairman Michael Binnion notes that, “This is a hard-fought victory for the industry in the province. Many years of advocacy have paid off and we see this as a significant step forward for oil and gas development in Quebec”.

QOGA has promoted best practices in hydraulic fracking for a long time. We believe that when best practices are used, and with adequate oversight, this technology respects the environment and allows to explore for new oil and gas plays, and produce efficiently new discoveries. We encourage all our members that frack to do it safely, in compliance with all Quebec laws and regulations.

The process has been used tens of thousands of times elsewhere in the world, notably in the United States where it allowed the country to operate a true energy revolution in the last ten years. Countless studies in the US have time and again said that fracking is safe, when done safely. Our association is happy that Quebec has allowed it here, and we hope it will, in term, help Quebec close the gap on its 12 billion dollars hydrocarbon import problem.

About QOGA

QOGA has been created to promote a dialogue on a potential new industry for Quebec: the oil and gas industry. Quebec energy resources can be produced in a safe way that respects the environment in order to contribute to the province general economic development. Our goal is to demonstrate shared interests and mutual benefits that all Quebeckers and our members can get from local production.