Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Witnesses, on November 10, 2023, your department issued a press release indicating that the Government of Canada was committed to investing up to $8 million to protect green spaces in east Montreal. Obviously, the canopy rate and the proximity of the Port of Montreal are important issues. Other investments have been made jointly with Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, I believe, including the planting of over 200,000 trees in east Montreal. Again, I recognize the need for reforestation.
That said, I had asked the former Minister of the Environment, Mr. Guilbeault, to see whether Rouyn-Noranda, given all the problems with the Horne smelter, could also receive access to such funding. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to obtain any concrete follow-up. I would therefore like to know what criteria your department used to say yes to east Montreal but no to Rouyn-Noranda.