The Gouvernement du Québec approved the designation of the Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée de la Rivière-Harricana-Nord 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 de la Rivière-Harricana-Nord is made up of additions to the Réserve aquatique projetée de la Rivière Harricana-Nord. The additions will better protect the banks of the Harricana River and protect a significant portion of the Rivière Joncas and the Rivière Malouin, including their mouths. One occurrence of Seneca snakeroot, a plant likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable in Québec, is found there. This territorial reserve for protected area purposes overlaps the proposed and subsequently authorized expansion of the Réserve aquatique projetée de la Rivière Harricana-Nord under the procedure to assess and review environmental and social impact carried out in 2010.
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.