Reference : https://www.ledevoir.com/environnement/876412/moins-98-bords-lacs-rivieres-quebec-sont-inaccessibles
Soon, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to access Quebec’s lakes and rivers unless you’re a riparian. A recent study based on municipal cadastres and property assessments is the first to map this situation.
92 municipalities and 15 of the 17 administrative regions were mapped. The study reveals that approximately 90% of lakes and rivers are enclosed by private property and therefore closed to the public. The remaining waterfronts are simply impassable!
And yet, our civil code specifies that traffic on Quebec’s lakes and rivers is “guaranteed”, provided that access is legal!
Researchers have long been concerned about the privatization of access to Quebec’s lakes and rivers. Yet water is public and must remain accessible to the entire population. Quebec’s lakes and rivers are a majestic collective heritage that must be preserved.
Historically, access to Quebec’s waterways has not always been privatized. Until 1850, all riverbanks were free for several meters, due to the right of “halage”, a riparian strip used by navigators who wished to pull their boats onto the shore. This law disappeared in 1850 in favor of an agricultural law.
The study also found that some cities and municipalities restrict access to lakes and rivers through legally dubious practices.
Sometimes, we have to question ourselves. Take North Hatley’s municipal beach access. As a non-resident, it costs $10 for an adult and $5 for a child. I have 3 children, and it costs me $35 to access the North Hatley beach. In case of overcrowding, access may be reserved for North Hatley and Canton de Hatley residents only.
Outside opening hours, North Hatley residents can access the beach with a microchip available at North Hatley Town Hall. In return, Magog’s two beaches are completely free all summer long.
Reference : https://www.northhatley.org/fr/communaute/sports-et-loisirs/plage-et-tennis/
I agree that North Hatley beach is very small. That’s probably why we prioritize residents. However, when you look closely, there is no other organized access for non-residents. Although some residents don’t want “strangers” in the village, the fact remains that the lake belongs to the people.
That leaves the federal wharf, where people can swim. The river park is not a place where you can really swim. The small beach next to the pedestrian bridge is also off-limits to bathing, and there’s a tiny patch of publicly accessible beach just off the federal wharf. There are no signs prohibiting swimming, despite “yes claims” that it is now private.
What’s more, if you want to get a boat launch sticker, you have to prove that you have access to a dock. If you don’t, you’re not entitled to the sticker, and you have to pay $60 a day to get your boat on and off Lake Massawippi.
The Municipality of North Hatley website states:
A non-resident season pass is issued when the non-resident has proof of moorage or rental in North Hatley. Without this proof, no season sticker will be issued.
Reference : https://www.northhatley.org/fr/communaute/sports-et-loisirs/marina-et-quai-public/
Certes, rien n’est parfait. D’ailleurs, je parle en tant que riverain. Malgré tout, je me questionne quant à l’accès public aux plans d’eau du Québec pour nos générations futures.
Of course, nothing is perfect. And I speak as a riparian. But I do wonder about public access to Quebec’s waterways for future generations.
On that note, good thinking on lake access!
