Residents of Saint-Joseph-de-Coleraine, near Thetford Mines, are contesting a new city by-law aimed at protecting Petit lac Saint-François by limiting access to it.
Access to the lake, known to be a good place to fish for golden trout, is now limited in order to protect the halieutic resource and the quality of the water. Thus, a new regulation limits the hours of access to the lake to non-residents, while fees are imposed for access to the only public boat launch.
“It’s completely discriminatory, claims François Bourgault, one of the citizens who opposes the decision of the municipality. It is a disguised privatization of the body of water, while the lakes belong to everyone.
The Quebec Sports Fishermen’s Association, for its part, has filed an injunction against this regulation.
The organization denounces the fact that more and more municipalities in Quebec are adopting regulations of this kind. According to the association, the municipalities would not have the right to impose such regulations since the lakes are under federal jurisdiction and belong to all Quebecers.
The mayor of Saint-Joseph-de-Coleraine, Gaston Nadeau, denies wanting to restrict access to the lake.
“Not at all, even the first three visits are free. All we want is to preserve the quality of our lake by controlling the entry of boats into the water, ensuring that they are cleaned, just like the trailers, to prevent the spread of invasive species. like the Eurasian watermilfoil,” he pleaded.