The Foundation

Photo credit: Bruno Perrin - Unsplash

About: A word from Roy Dupuis

The water that flows, turbulent or quiet, belongs to no one: it is available to all. It is a common good so precious that it calls for our respect and our commitment to its protection.

In the current environmental context, rivers are increasingly threatened, particularly by the multiplication of hydroelectric power plants, by projects destroying the banks and by numerous polluting discharges. I believe that as a community, we must act and take action in the direction of sustainable development.

In order to encourage citizen involvement, the Foundation's primary goal is to bring together, support and guide those who are concerned about the fate of rivers, i.e. citizen committees, local organizations, recreational and tourism organizations, school groups and First Nations committees.

As an unconditional lover of water and its wild beauty, I am committed to doing my best to raise awareness in order to protect the rivers of Quebec.

I am asking for your support to continue this collective effort and am inviting you to participate in the protection of the environment by endorsing the Foundation.

May this approach touch your collective conscience for the beauty of rivers!

Roy Dupuis, our spokesperson and co-founder, tells us why he loves the Rivers Foundation. He talks about the beginnings of our organization, which for nearly 20 years, has been taking concrete action to protect our most beautiful resource: Quebec's rivers and streams.

"There are so many reasons to act today. To get involved. If only to be alive. To live."

Roy Dupuis

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Mission, vision, values and fields of action

For 20 years, the Rivers Foundation has been working to preserve, restore and enhance the natural character of rivers. It contributes to ensuring water quality and access to water bodies for the Quebec population, taking into account social, environmental and economic dimensions.

We participate in public debate, we make recommendations, we contribute to science, we innovate.

Nous soutenons les acteurs de l’eau avec une offre de services-conseils afin d’optimiser la gestion des eaux usées et des eaux pluviales. Nous mettons en lumière les problèmes à l’échelle du Québec avec une carte interactive des déversements des eaux usées et nous proposons des solutions et des outils afin de contribuer à les régler.

Our organization advocates against :

Les barrages

Le bétonnage des rivières détruit les chutes, modifient les écosystèmes et les paysages. La production d’hydroélectricité est faussement présentée comme une solution au problème des émissions de gaz à effet de serre alors que d’autres alternatives existent. Pour en savoir plus, voyez le documentaire Chercher le courant, la campagne Avec Énergie ainsi que la pièce de théâtre documentaire et balado J'aime Hydro.

Pollution that suffocates rivers and streams

Small streams and land drainage systems feed rivers. They act as open sewers, often affected by erosion and widespread pollution.

Protecting our rivers with riverbanks

The shoreline acts as a filter, retaining material and preventing soil erosion.

Intérêts économiques démesurés

Il importe que les citoyens et citoyennes puissent défendre localement les intérêts de l’environnement sans quoi les intérêts économiques pourront prévaloir lors des prises de décisions.

La Fondation Rivières sensibilise les citoyen.ne.s autour d'événements rassembleurs et mobilisateurs.

Vision

That there are protected areas where rivers flow freely so that people can fully enjoy them;

That an ecotourism industry, skilfully developed, allows the social character of the rivers to be valued accordingly. Thus, some will benefit from the rivers for their health, others for their personal growth;

That the ecological and environmental character be respected. This way, current and future generations will be able to discover and appreciate them.

Value

Thoroughness

Our positions are based on science and professionalism.

Eco-citizenship

Nous croyons que chaque Québécois.e est un.e éco-citoyen.ne, avec des droits (ex. droit de vivre dans un environnement sain), mais aussi des devoirs envers les rivières (ex. contribuer à protéger le patrimoine naturel collectif).

Independence

We stand for rivers and the Quebec public interest. We refuse any influence that could harm our mission.

Solidarity

We are committed to mutual aid, collaboration and exchange. Together, we can protect our rivers.

Determination

We believe that there are always solutions to the problems and challenges that impede the achievement of our mission.

Actions

We are active on three fronts:

Water quality

Nearly 53,000: that's the number of times wastewater was discharged into Quebec's rivers in 2020 because it could not be treated by municipal wastewater systems. The Rivers Foundation is at the forefront of this battle to help municipalities solve this problem.

Access to water

Imagine a world where we could all access rivers everywhere in Quebec... Too many riverbanks are private, inaccessible. With the support of members and the collaboration of citizens committees and our partners, the Rivers Foundation is working to develop public access to water.

Preservation of the natural character of rivers

Nos rivières sont belles, naturelles et sauvages. Pourtant, elles sont fortement marquées par les impacts cumulatifs de l’activité humaine : ponts, barrages, mines, coupes forestières, exploitations agricoles ou développements urbains. La Fondation travaille à préserver ces paysages précieux afin que tous puissent jouir de ce patrimoine culturel important!

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2021

From small hydroelectric projects to the creation of the Fondation Rivières

In the 1990s, the Liberal government ordered Hydro-Québec to issue calls for tenders to private producers for the construction of small hydroelectric power plants (25 MW or less) on Quebec rivers. Under the guise of regional economic development, 53 power purchase contracts were allowed to be awarded without sufficient state control. In 1994, engineer Alain Saladzius, now president of the Fondation Rivières, was in close contact with the Sûreté du Québec and the Minister of Energy of the new provincial government to shed light on the situation. The Doyon public inquiry commission delivered a disturbing report in 1997.

Birth of the Fondation Rivières

Hydro-Quebec is still interested in small hydroelectric projects to preserve its expertise in hydroelectric dam construction by maintaining jobs. Numerous artists, public figures, citizens committees and interest groups mobilized to defend the rivers when the government submitted 36 small hydroelectric projects. The Adoptez-une-Rivière initiative takes shape, and the Rivers Foundation is born. The Foundation is co-founded by Alain Saladzius, Roy Dupuis, still spokesperson, and Michel Gauthier. The organization is driven by the deep conviction that alternatives to hydroelectric production must be developed.

Descent of the Magpie River

A private hydroelectric dam project may affect the integrity of the Magpie River. The Fondation Rivières is organizing a reconnaissance expedition along the river to promote its eco-tourism appeal, in collaboration with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), the Union Québécoise pour la Conservation de la Nature, Greenpeace and Earth River. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins the group to highlight the global interest of this natural jewel. It should be noted that the Magpie was granted legal protection status in 2001, following a joint effort by the MRC, the Innu communities and CPAWS.

Financial assistance from religious organizations

The Fondation Rivières owes its survival in large part to the support of the Canadian Religious Conference, Quebec Chapter. Since 2008, the Priority Donations Committee has been recommending that its members support the Fondation Rivières in its mission. They choose to become partners of the work for its values of solidarity and mutual aid, and because the Foundation denounces injustice, breaks down the walls of individualism and stimulates generosity.

Campaign with energy

Eleven artists deliver a message of mobilization for Quebec to make the green energy shift of the 21st century. From the innovations of the 1960s in the field of energy, notably the nationalization of electricity, to biodiversity, this series of videos produced in collaboration with Nature Québec, raises public awareness of the need to rethink our ways of doing things, based on science and on what is being done around the world.

Construction of a small hydroelectric power station on the Ouiatchouane Falls

The Fondation Rivières is leading an important fight with citizens against the harnessing of the Ouiatchouane Falls, in the heart of the historic village of Val-Jalbert. Benefiting from considerable subsidies from Hydro-Quebec, the MRC and the Innu Council of Mashteuiatsh see this as a funding opportunity for their activities. Today, the waterfall flows only during the day, in summer, when the site is open to visitors. Although this project has been completed, the Fondation Rivières continues to work in the fight against unjustifiable threats to the integrity of the rivers.

Water quality: a challenge to defend

The Foundation is undergoing a strategic reorientation. After re-evaluating the issues and objectives, it is understood that it will now focus more on water quality, a sector in which it possesses credible and recognized expertise. The Fondation Rivières is now working with watershed organizations and municipalities to provide them with water quality services.

Montreal's Flushgate

The media attention surrounding Montreal's Flushgate has raised public interest in wastewater overflow issues and allowed the Rivers Foundation to put its expertise on the subject. The Foundation questions the procedure used by the City and the excessive delays, and makes recommendations to Environment Canada and its committee of experts. The Foundation's involvement helps to reduce the time and volume of wastewater discharged without treatment.

Grand Splash

The Fondation Rivières becomes the main organizer of the annual Grand Splash event, after having co-organized the previous edition at the Old Port of Montreal. This initiative aims to raise awareness among the public and municipal officials of the importance of providing public access to swimming in waterways and ensuring water quality.

Wastewater Outfalls: the disappointing map and rankings of wastewater outfall

Every day, large quantities of wastewater are discharged into Quebec's rivers because they cannot be treated by municipal wastewater systems. With the help of students in the journalism program at UQAM, the Fondation Rivières has developed an interactive map indicating, among other things, the intensity of overflows. The Foundation is therefore making public the sad ranking of the 50 municipalities that stand out for their wastewater spills in 2019.

First edition of La semaine du Grand Splash

The Grand Splash mobilization event becomes La semaine du Grand Splash. Ten events to demand access to waterways are held across the province. Under the honorary presidency of Salomé Corbo, La semaine du Grand Splash gathers close to 300 participants, despite the pandemic, in addition to winning the Community Eco Impact Award.

The Foundation

About

Mission, vision and values

History