Draft regulation amending the Regulation respecting afforestation and reforestation projects on privately owned land eligible for the issuance of offset credits

Public consultation from November 13 to December 28, 2024

Quebec’s cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions allowances includes an offset credits component that allows developers to carry out projects on a voluntary basis. These projects reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sectors or sources other than those covered by the C&T compliance obligations or remove GHGs from the atmosphere.

The Regulation respecting afforestation and reforestation projects on privately owned land eligible for the issuance of offset credits was enacted in December 2022.

The purpose of the draft regulation amending the Regulation respecting afforestation and reforestation projects on privately owned land eligible for the issuance of offset credits (PDF, 225 KB) is to ease the provision that stipulates that the designated verifier must be a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs forestiers du Québec (OIFQ, Quebec’s professional order of forest engineers). The amended Regulation would allow verification bodies that are responsible for verifying projects to appoint a verification team leader who is not necessarily a member of OIFQ in the event that a member is not available to assume this position on the verification team. However, a forest engineer is required to be part of the team to certify the accuracy of the data and documents relating to the forestry aspects of the project.

This draft regulation is published in the Gazette officielle du Québec for a public consultation period of 45 days, from November 13 to December 28, 2024.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting:

Mr. Mourad Ziani, Coordinator
Équipe des crédits compensatoires
Direction du marché du carbone
Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs
mourad.ziani@environnement,gouv.qc.ca

Any person wishing to provide comments on the draft regulation is requested to send them in writing, by December 28, 11 : 59 p.m., to:

Mr. Nicolas Garceau, Deputy Director of market operations
Direction du marché du carbone
Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs
Édifice Marie-Guyart, 10^e Floor, Box 30
675, boulevard René-Lévesque Est
Québec (Québec) G1R 5V7
nicolas.garceau@environnement.gouv.qc.ca