31.3.5. If the Minister considers the impact assessment statement to be admissible, the Minister shall direct the project proponent in writing to hold the public information period prescribed by government regulation.
Any person, group or municipality may, during that period, apply to the Minister for a public consultation or mediation on the project.
Unless the Minister considers the application to be frivolous, in particular if he considers that the reasons given in support of it are not serious or that a public consultation or mediation on the concerns raised would not be useful for analyzing the project, the Minister shall send a copy to the Bureau.
After analyzing the applications received, the Bureau must recommend to the Minister, within the time prescribed by government regulation, the type of mandate described in the fifth paragraph that should be conferred on the Bureau.
The Minister shall then mandate the Bureau to hold(1) a public hearing;
(2) a targeted consultation on the concerns identified by the Minister or with regard to the persons, groups or municipalities to be consulted; or
(3) mediation, if the Minister considers that the nature of the concerns raised warrants it and that there is a possibility that the interested parties will reach a compromise.
If the impact assessment statement is considered admissible and, given the nature of the issues raised by the project, a public hearing appears certain, in particular if the public’s concerns warrant it, the Minister may mandate the Bureau to hold such a hearing on the project without the proponent having to undertake the stage referred to in the first paragraph.
2017, c. 42017, c. 4, s. 201.