The Gouvernement du Québec approved the designation of the Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée Coldwater-Juneshew-Sibi following the submission in the fall of 2020 of a joint brief from the Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks. The legally protected status contemplated for this territory is that of a “biodiversity reserve,” which is governed by the Natural Heritage Conservation Act.
Geographical location, boundaries and dimensions
Brief description
The Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée Coldwater-Juneshew-Sibi was established to provide the community of Eastmain with protected areas in its trapping areas. Its configuration was elaborated in light of the drainage basins of the Rivière Jolicoeur, the Rivière au Mouton, and the Coldwater River. The western portion of the territory, situated in the Coastal Area of Rupert Bay territorial zone, features landscapes comprising peat bogs and forests in a singular mosaic. Cree tallymen and the residents of the community of Eastmain expressed considerable interest in protecting the entire Coldwater River drainage basin. Numerous significant cultural sites are found in the territory, including contemporary and ancestral camps, and numerous trails used for travel there. It also includes quality habitats essential for the subsistence of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species.
Protection measures applied in the territory
No natural resource exploration or exploitation activity (mining, energy and forests) is allowed in the territory of the territorial reserve for protected area purposes. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks will ensure the maintenance of the administrative and legal provisions that their prohibition requires.