Brush cutters describe exploitative work conditions by Hydro-Québec subcontractors

Some workers from Africa, hired to clear vegetation under Hydro-Québec power lines, are raising concerns about unsafe working conditions, overcrowded accommodations, and transportation issues.

Fifteen brush cutters who worked for two Hydro-Québec subcontractors this summer reported that the companies failed to meet health, safety, transportation, and accommodation standards. The companies involved, LDomo Inc. and Gestion Sylvicole, operate out of suburbs near Montreal.

Workers described conditions where they were forced to share beds and, at times, had to walk for hours through Quebec’s forests to reach job sites, lacking adequate transportation. A video from July shows an LDomo worker wading through chest-deep water in the Côte-Nord region, dressed in work gear and carrying equipment, while attempting to reach a work site under a transmission line. Workers said they crossed the river fearing they wouldn't be paid for the day if they didn't reach the site. Despite being supplied with a satellite phone, they couldn't contact a helicopter pilot provided by Hydro-Québec, as the phone's battery had died.

Hydro-Québec spokesperson Cendrix Bouchard responded, saying, "This is completely unacceptable. We want to be clear about this." He emphasized that suppliers must comply with health and safety standards and respect human rights in line with Hydro-Québec’s code of conduct. The utility has committed to enhancing vegetation control to reduce outages by 35% over the next seven to ten years, according to its 2035 action plan.

Transportation issues for workers

In 2024, Hydro-Québec awarded contracts totaling $7 million and $433,000 to LDomo Inc. and Gestion Sylvicole, respectively, for clearing vegetation under high-voltage lines. Many of the workers, as well as the owners of these subcontracting companies, are from African nations. Some of the workers have precarious legal status in Canada as asylum seekers.

This spring, LDomo workers had to walk long distances through forests to access job sites because they were not provided with suitable transportation, like all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Following a June 13 meeting between LDomo and Hydro-Québec, the utility flagged the lack of transportation as a “waste of time [and] energy for workers” and a cause of “increased risks of injury, fatigue, heatstroke, and falls.” After this, LDomo purchased ATVs.

Fabien Simard, Director of the Association des entrepreneurs en travaux sylvicoles du Québec (AETSQ), expressed disappointment and shock over the conditions reported by LDomo workers. "We’re taking advantage of workers' naivety and lack of knowledge," he said, describing the working environment as neglected and unreasonably risky. In 2020, the provincial Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) noted a rise in accidents in the brush-cutting sector.

For one call for tenders in Nord-du-Québec, Hydro-Québec required helicopter transport to ensure safety, as road access was unavailable. Hydro-Québec provided and funded helicopters but specified that subcontractors were responsible for additional hours beyond what was allotted.

LDomo did not request additional helicopter support from Hydro-Québec nor bill the utility for helicopter usage.

Response from LDomo

Following internal investigations prompted by worker complaints, Hydro-Québec banned LDomo from future contracts. Bouchard clarified that this action was unrelated to recent media inquiries. "When we can verify complaints or observed deficiencies, we take action," he stated.

In a phone interview, LDomo owner Lazare Domo denied the allegations, calling them “lies, sabotage on the part of the workers. I have nothing to hide.” Domo acknowledged that health and safety concerns contributed to his company’s exclusion from Hydro-Québec contracts but claimed workers were at fault for not following protocols.

Patrick Magabanya, a former foreman on LDomo sites, criticized Hydro-Québec for slow action. “How is it that Hydro-Québec waits until there’s an outcry and a multitude of complaints before reacting?” Magabanya, who raised concerns about “recurring poor organization” and “degrading” and “abusive” treatment, stated that Hydro-Québec should ensure workers under its transmission lines are treated with dignity and have adequate working conditions.

An unnamed Hydro-Québec executive commented that brush-cutting workers are akin to “Mexicans in the fields,” suggesting that few others are willing to do the work. The executive highlighted overcrowded living conditions, saying he had seen as many as eight workers in housing designed for two people.

Cramped accommodations and bed-sharing

Reports found that some workers for Gestion Sylvicole had to stay in motels with four people per room, forcing them to share beds. Léonard Kabeya Tshikuku and Hervé Horo, who worked for Gestion Sylvicole, confirmed they shared a bed throughout their contract. “There’s hardly any privacy,” Kabeya Tshikuku stated, noting his disbelief that bed-sharing could occur in Canada.

Such arrangements violate a regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which prohibits requiring workers to share beds. Reached for comment, Gestion Sylvicole owner Jean-Claude Nonge declined to answer questions, stating he was redoing work previously completed by the complaining workers.

Kabeya Tshikuku questioned why, if Hydro-Québec inspects the quality of work, it doesn’t also monitor the conditions under which workers live and work.

While Hydro-Québec declined to confirm if it had investigated Gestion Sylvicole’s case, the utility announced it would not rehire the company due to delays in project completion. Seven former LDomo workers also raised issues with lodging, stating they were charged excessively for inadequate accommodations, with some even sleeping in kitchens.

Following recent findings, the Bureau de la normalisation du Québec (BNQ) suspended LDomo's certification, which is essential for forestry companies working on Quebec's public land. "LDomo can no longer operate until it meets the criteria for lifting the suspension," the BNQ stated.