Bill 17: An Act to amend the Act respecting natural gas storage and natural gas and oil pipelines in order to authorize the implementation of a pilot project relating to the exploration for underground reservoirs or certain fluids, or their operation or exploitation (modified title)

This bill primarily affects companies in Quebec's energy and resource sector — including those exploring for or operating underground reservoirs for natural gas storage, carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, or other non-water fluids found beneath the soil. Mining companies are also directly touched, as the bill creates mandatory agreement and dispute-settlement processes when a mining rights holder and a subsurface reservoir licence holder share overlapping territory. Businesses of all sizes face new licensing requirements, mandatory site rehabilitation and financial guarantees, minimum work obligations tied to exploration licences, and notification requirements toward municipalities, landowners, and lessees before beginning work. Municipalities and regional county municipalities gain a formal role in influencing whether activities proceed in urbanization perimeters, and licence holders must ensure local by-laws are aligned with ministerial conditions — adding a layer of coordination with local government to day-to-day project planning.