Expansion of the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge

Laval wishes to contribute to the creation of one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in Quebec

Laval, January 28, 2022 - The Executive Committee of Ville de Laval recommends that City Council approve the first stage in the creation of one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in Quebec. To this end, the City is proposing to include 432 municipal lots - 568 hectares of islands and lots bordering or ecologically linked to the river - in the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge. These lots, most of which are already protected by municipal by-laws, will now have internationally recognized legal status, and will be able to count on additional means of protection, notably provided by wildlife protection officers from the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP). In this way, their integration into the refuge helps to consolidate the city's objective of protecting 14% of its territory.

Photo credit Francis Allaire

"I'm proud of this important step towards fulfilling my commitment, which is great news for the people of Laval. These additions will increase the size of this protected area by a factor of 20, making it almost twice the size of Central Park. The refuge is home to almost two-thirds of Quebec's wildlife species. By protecting and connecting these environments with one another, we will enable the survival and reproduction of the hundreds of animal and plant species that live there, as well as providing Laval residents with enviable access to our natural heritage."

- Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval

"The Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge is an exceptional site in terms of both flora and fauna, and represents a highly biodiverse environment. I would like to highlight the announcement that the Ville de Laval has renewed and signed resolutions to add 568 hectares to the existing refuge. A considerable area of protection on private land. This is an important step and a major asset in the project to expand the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge being carried out by our biologists in collaboration with Éco-Nature."

- Pierre Dufour, Minister of Forestry, Wildlife and Parks, Minister responsible for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec regions and MNA for Abitibi-Est

This major expansion is in line with the city's mission to conserve and enhance natural environments, and with the implementation of Laval's Green and Blue Network.

A long-prepared first step

Éco-Nature, manager of the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, approached the Ville de Laval and eight other riverside municipalities to protect new territories within the wildlife refuge, a project underway since 2009. Obtaining the status of wildlife refuge will enable better protection and conservation of these natural environments, thanks in part to the monitoring carried out by Éco-Nature's wildlife protection assistants and the MFFP's wildlife protection officers, as well as preserving certain sectors for various activities accessible to the public while respecting wildlife, habitats and ecosystems.

"For over 20 years, Ville de Laval has supported Éco-Nature's mission to protect, conserve and enhance the Rivière des Mille Îles and its tributaries. The addition of these islands, shores and wetlands to the wildlife refuge is the most recent example. The entire Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles team is delighted with this decision. The people of Laval can be proud of the mayor's commitment and involvement in this magnificent ecological and recreational project, a major legacy for future generations."

- Christine Métayer, Managing Director, Éco-Nature

Three islands included in the expansion project

The inclusion in the wildlife refuge of these municipally-owned lots, acquired by Ville de Laval as part of its natural environment acquisition strategy, gives concrete expression to the vision of the Laval Green and Blue Network by ensuring the long-term protection and conservation of the lots concerned. These lots include two of the largest islands in the Rivière des Mille Îles, Île aux Vaches and Île Saint-Pierre, exceptional natural environments acquired by the city in 2020 and now included in the wildlife refuge expansion project. Île Locas, which the Town is in the process of acquiring, will also be included in the project once the transactions for its acquisition have been completed. These three islands alone represent a surface area of 166 hectares, and are home to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna that has a major impact on the quality of habitats in the heart of Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles.

Highlights

• Created in 1998, the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge is unique on a provincial scale.
• It currently covers an area of 26 hectares, 9.5 of which are in Laval, and includes 10 islands belonging to Laval, Rosemère and Éco-Nature.
• Of the 350 species living there, 92 are species designated or likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable, including the spotted garter snake, peregrine falcon, map turtle and least bittern.

Additional information

To find out more about the objectives and actions carried out as part of Laval's Green and Blue Network, visit envertetbleu.laval.ca

Photo credit: the photo credit is inserted in the title of each photo.

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