Privatization of the banks, scarcity of access, high tariffs demanded by municipalities and a pandemic all contribute to making access to the lakes more and more difficult.
The Quebec Sport Fishermen’s Association has been fighting for years against municipalities that impose exorbitant fees for a simple one-day launch.
But canoeists, kayakers and swimmers also find it increasingly difficult to explore without shedding their wallets. This year, in Austin, in the Eastern Townships, the city closed access to Lake Orford. In Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, one of the rare beaches (paid and private) in the National Capital region is threatened; developers have tried to turn it into a condo complex.
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The situation is denounced by pressure groups, but it is not measured; Quebec “does not have data concerning access to the lakes”. However, it is essential, notes Antoine Verville, for the regrouping of watershed organizations:
“People who frequent the lakes are going to develop a relationship with nature and are going to be more inclined to want to protect it,” he says.
Common heritage
The lakes belong to everyone, the law even says that they “are part of the common heritage of the nation”. But if everyone has the right to navigate there, part of the bank must still be public.
And that is the responsibility of the municipalities, which tend to favor their residents.
“It is not for my citizens to pay via their taxes the access to the residents of Quebec for swimming, loose the mayor of Fossambault, Jean Perron. If the government wants us to provide access, let it compensate. “
Jacques Laurin is mayor of Val-des-Monts, north of Gatineau. It has 120 lakes on its territory.
“It’s impossible for us to ensure access to all these bodies of water,” he said.
His municipality operates – at a loss – two launching ramps on lakes Saint-Pierre and McGreggor, despite rates for non-residents ranging from $ 10 to $ 120.
The pressure from local residents has a weight: “They come to see us immediately when there is damage,” he said.
Enemy number 1: the ships of wake-board, which damage the banks and even the bottom of the lake with their propellers and waves.
Gentrification of lakes
Municipalities will sometimes prefer to impose very high prices to discourage boaters. And sometimes, some lakes are completely privatized.
“There is development, people buy expensive, it gets bourgeois. They are the ones who do not want to see people on their lakes, ”notes François Brissette, expert in water resources and professor at ETS.
Cities are in conflict of interest; they must protect access to water, but benefit from this real estate frenzy, he explains.
“If there is just a small part of the population, the richest, who can access the lakes, it is a big ethical problem”, adds Antoine Verville.
Several municipalities charge very high fees to non-residents who want to launch a motor boat. The situation is denounced by the Association of sport fishermen of Quebec.
“To charge several hundred dollars for a single day on the boat is far too high. Not everyone can afford that. Think of the grandfather who wants to go fishing with his grandchildren, for example. […] And several lakes are prohibited to non-residents, these municipalities are outlaw ”, laments the president of the Association, Stéphan Bourgeois.
LAKE OF THE PILES, SHAWINIGAN
Daily access cost: 115 $
LAKE DES SABLES, SAINT-AGATHE-DES-MONTS
Daily access cost: $ 300 to $ 400 for a gasoline engine (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
LAKE OUAREAU AND SEVEN OTHER LAKES, SAINT-DONAT
Annual cost: $ 50 to $ 300
There is no daily access.
ACHIGAN LAKES, CONNELLY, ECHO AND BLUE, SAINT-HIPPOLYTE
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Daily access cost: 400 $
The beaches are also reserved for residents of the city.
BARKMERE LAKE
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Daily access cost: $ 100 to $ 500
LAKE MANITOU, IVRY-SUR-LE-LAC
