Regulation

In Quebec, dredging activities may be subject to various statutes and regulations applied by different levels of government. Generally, dredging work carried out on the St. Lawrence is subject to federal regulation, whether it is carried out on behalf of federal, provincial, municipal or private organizations. Dredging carried out in Quebec may also be subject to provincial jurisdiction. Under some circumstances, permits or certificates may also be required from municipal governments.

Although the legal and regulatory context may vary from project to project, the basic approach that dredging activities need to follow in order to comply with the legal framework remains essentially the same. The laws and regulations that apply are determined at the project planning and assessment phase. Factors such as the identity of the proponent, nature of the work, preferred method of spoil disposal management and geographic location of the project make it possible to properly define the project’s legal and regulatory framework.

The statutes and regulations that may apply to various dredging projects, and the links to the relevant authorities, appear in the menu on the left of this page.