A regional park, in Quebec, is an area designated by a regional county municipality (MRC) or equivalent territory for the purposes of recreation and of nature conservation.
While Quebec national parks are dedicated to conservation and education in environmental protection, regional parks, although they can take on a preservation dimension, allow the practice of activities recreational, commercial and resource development.
History
Jurisdiction over intermunicipal parks is vested in the Montreal Urban Community (CUM) since its creation in 1969.[1] In addition, the Urban Community of Montreal declared its exclusive jurisdiction over regional parks on its territory as of 1979.[2][3] The same year, the metropolitan organization began acquiring green spaces: the Cap Saint-Jacques, the Bois de Liesse and de Saraguay, the Île de la Visitation, and the Pointe aux Trembles.[4] L'Île-de-la-Visitation Nature Park is the first regional park of the Urban Community of Montreal to be developed.[5]
Satisfied with the pilot experience carried out with the Urban Community of Montreal,[6] the National Assembly extends to all regional county municipality the power to create and administer regional parks by entrenching it in 1993 in the Municipal code.[7] These powers are transferred to the “Law on municipal powers” when it was adopted in 2005.[8]
Features
In order to establish a regional park, a regional county municipality must adopt a by-law which determines the base of the park. The by-law has no effect on private property as long as the municipality does not own it. However, the regulation gives it the power to enter into an agreement with the holder of a property right within the limits of the established park, and to establish a right of preemption or even a right of supervision over the improvements that an owner brings to his buildings.[8][9]
The regional county municipality which has designated a territory as being a regional park may, within its limits, regulate:
- the administration and operation of the park
- protection and nature conservation;
- the security of users;
- the use or the parking of vehicles;
- the possession and care of domestic animals;
- the display;
- the operation of shops;
- the exercise of recreational activities;
- any use of a public road not governed by the Highway Safety Code.[8]
The regional county municipality may operate the commercial, recreational and lodging activities itself within the park boundaries or entrust them to a third party.[8][9]
Designation
The legislative framework governing the parks does not provide for a controlled designation. The law provides for a regional county municipality procedure to create a park, but does not govern the use of the designation “regional park”; it is neither compulsory nor regulated.[10] Thus, the Association of regional parks of Quebec claims between 150 and 175 regional parks, while the Ministry of Municipal Affairs recognizes the existence of 17 of these territories.[11]
List of regional parks
The 17 parks registered in a land use planning and development plan and recognized by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs are:
- Boréal Regional Park (Manicouagan Regional County Municipality);
- Chute-à-Bull Regional Park (Matawinie Regional County Municipality);
- Montagne-du-Diable Regional Park (Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality);
- Seigneurie-du-lac-Matapédia Regional Park (La Matapédia Regional County Municipality);
- Appalaches Regional Park (Montmagny Regional County Municipality);
- Grandes-Coulées Regional Park (L'Érable Regional County Municipality);
- Portneuf Regional Natural Park (Portneuf Regional County Municipality);
- Sept-Chutes Regional Park (Matawinie Regional County Municipality);
- Trois-Sœurs Regional Park (La Tuque);
- Lac Taureau Regional Park (Matawinie Regional County Municipality);
- Marécage-des-Scots Regional Park (Le Haut-Saint-François Regional County Municipality);
- Massif-du-Sud Regional Park (Bellechasse Regional County Municipality, Les Etchemins Regional County Municipality);
- Mont-Ham Regional Park (Les Sources Regional County Municipality);
- Poisson-Blanc Regional Park (Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality);
- Kiamika Reservoir Regional Park (Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality);
- Obalski Regional Park (Chibougamau).
Notes and references
- ^
- ^ Denis Masse (19 April 1979). "The CUM will take charge of regional parks". La Presse (in français). pp. A11.
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: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Guy Tardif, Minister of Municipal Affairs (September 15, 1979). Government du Québec - number in collection=37 (ed.). Gazette officielle du Québec (in français). p. 116.
Notice concerning ministries - Ministry of Municipal Affairs
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link) CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Pierre Roberge (July 20, 1979). "$ 10 million at the CUM - Space planning green". Le Nouvelliste (in français). p. 1.
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: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Alain Duhamel (January 14, 1981). "The CUM will hold hearings on the development of the Parc de la Visitation". Le Devoir (in French). p. 3.
- ^ "Index of the Journal of debates - National Assembly of Quebec". www.assnat.qc.ca (in French). Retrieved 2019-10-09.
- ^
- ^ a b c d
- ^ a b ."Regional parks - Intervention tools - Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
- ^ Marie-Ève Morasse (2017-03-06). "Regional parks: united in their differences". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2019-10-09.
- ^ Marie Tison (2019-01-02). "Regional parks: it's not just SEPAQ". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2019-10-09.