Shoreline Surveys

Much of the developed shoreline lacks the required buffer, and there is a proliferation of private boat launches.

By-laws require a 15-metre shoreline buffer zone and do not permit private boat launches.

Local by-laws require that a buffer zone of natural or re-naturalized vegetation be maintained for a specified distance from the shoreline:

The MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais requires a five-metre buffer.
The municipalities of Chelsea, La Pêche (chapitre 19), and Cantley require a 15-metre buffer. These larger buffer requirements take precedence.

Over a ten-year period, we conducted surveys from the water to gather information about the state of the shoreline. The purpose was not to identify specific properties in breach of by-laws, but rather to raise awareness of the need for shoreline restoration.

Our surveys referenced the MRC buffer requirement of five metres, even though Chelsea, Cantley, and La Pêche have stricter, 15-metre requirements. Much of the developed shoreline lacks the required buffer.