A text by Valérie Fortier, spokesperson for the Laurentians region. 

In this article, I'd like to invite you to reflect with me on our relationship with water in Quebec. A few weeks ago, I was in the Netherlands and Denmark on a personal trip. The vacation did me a world of good, but also prompted me to reflect on a whole range of issues, which I'd like to share with you here.

In restaurants, whether in Amsterdam or Copenhagen, we had to pay for our water. Sometimes, an alcoholic drink was even cheaper than a simple glass of water. Yet both cities, nominated among the world's happiest cities, are surrounded by water and boast that the canals and Baltic Sea have been made drinkable following several WWF interventions (WWF, 2017). Considering this point, I couldn't see the logic behind paying for an accessible resource so vital to our survival. My partner, with whom I made this trip, raised the possibility that perhaps the aim was precisely to raise awareness among individuals to reconsider their relationship with water in order to protect it and not waste it.

According to Environnement et Lutte contre les changements climatiques du Québec, our province possesses nearly 3% of the planet's freshwater resources (2019). The Laurentian region is home to some 8,000 lakes. Among other things, this territory is renowned for its tourism, with outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and trails suitable for all-terrain vehicles. It's easy to fall in love with this magnificent region. In fact, its demographic growth over the past two decades has been impressive. But I wonder about the effect of human activity in this region on the water. I think it's vital to realize that our relationship with water is a responsibility we must all shoulder.

To begin with, a lake's condition is qualified by its fertility. This is assessed by water transparency and by its concentration of phosphorus, chlorophyll and dissolved organic carbon (Beaudoin, 2017). Basically, a lake with low nutrient levels will be healthy. This is what we call an oligotrophic lake. When a lake is overfed, and therefore has a considerable surplus of nutrients, it is eutrophic. The nutrients discussed here are mainly related to agriculture, urban development, fish farming, vacationing, industrial activities and forestry.

Not only do these nutrients reduce water clarity, they also attract invasive and harmful plants, such as Eurasian water milfoil in Laurentian waters. This plant takes the place of native plants, threatening or even destroying the existing ecosystem. The ultimate consequence is to accelerate the rate at which lakes age, allowing algae and aquatic plants to proliferate. As a result, we can observe a reduction in recreation on these bodies of water, which undermines the environmental, economic and social interests of the municipalities affected (CRE Laurentides, 2018).

The Conseil régional de l'environnement des Laurentides is a non-profit organization dedicated, through the Bleu Laurentides project, to raising awareness and protecting the waters of the Laurentians. Their mission is to promote sustainable development, protect and enhance the environment, and foster the improvement of the democratic process (Ibid). The objectives of the Bleu Laurentides project are:

  • Foster the concentration and transfer of knowledge between experts
  • Strengthen local skills and encourage the community to take charge of monitoring the health of lakes through voluntary monitoring and the Réseau du surveillance volontaire des lacs of the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MELCC).
  • Encourage behavioral change among users and municipal managers

Richard Carignan, biologist and founder of the Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie et en environnement aquatique (GRIL) (Interuniversity research group in limnology and the aquatic environment), confirms that the condition of the lakes he has studied for over a decade in the municipality of Saint-Hippolyte (Saint-Hippolyte Belle Naturelle, 2019) has improved thanks to several years of awareness-raising efforts, including the development of signs on Eurasian water milfoil and how to clean your boat after use.

However, the war is not over, and it's important to always consider our footprint on biodiversity. I don't want Quebec to be forced to charge for this magnificent but fragile resource. We need to be aware of the privilege we have of being surrounded by this abundant resource, and do all we can to protect it.

Here are some documents to help you understand the steps you need to take to protect our lakes and rivers:

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • CRE Laurentides : Your environmental network. Bleu Laurentides: Technical support for lakes. "Municipality of La Minerve Activity Report from Liaison Officer Noémie Raby-Chassé: Summer 2018". 25 pages.
  • QUEBEC: Environment and fight against climate change. The eai in Quebec: a resource to be protected. Retrieved May 9, 2019. http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/inter.htm
  • RADIO-CANADA. Text by Danielle Beaudoin. Are our lakes in good condition? Retrieved March 24, 2019. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1067399/lacs-etat-quebec-eutrophisation-pratiques-agricoles.
  • Saint-Hippolyte Belle Naturelle. Results of Dr. Richard Carignan's study. Retrieved May 9, 2019. https://saint-hippolyte.ca/resultat-de-letude-du-dr-richard-carignan/

WWF. Baltic Sea: A resplendent marine ecoregion. Retrieved May 9, 2019. https://www.wwf.fr/espaces-prioritaires/mer-baltique

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