In a context of increasing heatwaves, the movement reports that its party wishes to make municipalities aware of the importance of maintaining public entrances along the lakes on their land.

We will be preparing a bill in the next two weeks to promote access to water bodies for all Quebecers. On veut en faire un réflexe pour les municipalités d’avoir cette préoccupation de garder des accès publics aux plans d’eau, parce qu’on le sait, les plans d’eau sont publics, mais le pourtour des lacs appartient aux à municipalités et the crownindicates.

The beach on the Pointe-aux-Roches trail in Latulipe (Archives).

Photo: Radio Canada/Jean-Michel Cotnoir

While access to bodies of water may be easier in the hinterland, Ms. Lisard-Terrain stresses the difficulty this can present for certain families established in the main centres.

What we see in Quebec is the increasing privatization of water bodies. In Abitibi-Témiscamingue we are fortunate to have relatively easy access to bodies of water, but this is not the case everywhere, particularly in southern Quebec, where banks are relatively privatized.as you say.

” Quand on habite à Montréal-Nord, se rendre dans un bout de forêt, c’est beaucoup plus compliqué que pour des gens plus fortunés, qui ont des véhicules, qui ont les moyens de se rendre et qui ont les sous pour s’é in the fresh air. »

Improving access to mental health benefits

Émilise Lessard-Therrien argues that equitable access to nature and bodies of water is a tool for reducing social inequalities and improving the physical and mental health of citizens.

It’s increasingly documented: nature, spending time in the woods, it’s good for physical health, it’s good for mental health. We saw doctors come out early last week to deliver natural prescriptions. In 2022, spending time in the woods is as good for your health as eating healthy or being physically activeas you say.

Émilise Lessard-Therrien, MNA for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue

Photo: Radio Canada/Andre Udette

In order to ensure that future generations retain access to bodies of water, Ms. Lessard-Terrain stresses that a dialogue must be undertaken with municipalities regarding their financing model.

There is a full dialogue with the municipalities, because the municipalities have every advantage in developing their beaches, because it is the dwellings that are worth more, and therefore more municipal taxes and more income. Our municipalities are stuck in a completely outdated financing model and will have to be revisedargue.

In the short term, MENA believes that arrangements can be made to publicize and facilitate access avenues that already exist in the region.

Récré-eau des Quinze (archive)

Photo: Clouds Rivest

When you look at Témiscamingue, the network surrounding the Récré-eau des Quinze, you can get to the water body, but there are improvements that can be made. When you’re on public land, while damming, you can make sidewalks for people with non-motorized boats. There is really a site we can work on to make it easier to access the bodies of water, if only to include where the boat ramps are, and where are the public beaches, where people can access the water without being on private landshe lists.